https://www.cdparkinsons.org/health-care-providers

Online training program specifically designed to teach fitness professionals how to best meet the unique needs of PD patients

The importance of exercise and physical activity for people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been well documented. Exercise produces many benefits including increased physical functioning (motor performance, strength, endurance), improved gait and balance, cardiovascular fitness, and overall better quality of life.  As such, great strides are being made to make exercise a part of the standard treatment of PD.

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Complementary therapies are intended to be used together with traditional, more medically-minded approaches to managing Parkinson’s symptoms. A nutritionist can help you be more intentional about your diet to ensure you are getting the right nutrients you need. There have been research studies demonstrating how acupuncture can help symptoms ranging from balance and walking to pain, fatigue and feelings of anxiety and depression, so you may consider adding an acupuncturist to your care team.

Since exercise is so important for people living with Parkinson’s, your personal trainer or various exercise instructors, like your yoga or tai chi teacher or a boxing coach, can all be considered essential members of your care team.

n addition to your physical healthcare team and complementary therapy providers, professionals who focus on emotional health and well-being can be very helpful. Counselors, social workers and psychologists are trained to assess emotional difficulties and to work with you and your doctor to promote good mental health. They can help you cope and stay positive.

These professionals can also help you manage stress that can make Parkinson’s symptoms worse, causing additional strain on you and your family. They serve as guides, helping you to respond with resilience to changes you hadn’t anticipated. Professional support and guidance can help you and your family cope with the tough times when they come.

Since Parkinson’s affects everyone differently, the specific ways you choose to live well will be unique and will change over time. However, a positive attitude, staying engaged in your own health, consistently exercising and making a commitment to take action are steps everyone living with Parkinson’s can take to live well right now.

Research and personal experience of people living with Parkinson’s continue to show the incredible impacts simple lifestyle changes like stress reduction, getting enough sleep, a healthy diet rich in nutrients and exercise can have on not just your quality of life, but the actual experience of Parkinson’s symptoms like tremor, depression and fatigue. Research also suggests exercise may even help protect the areas of the brain affected by Parkinson’s from getting worse (a phenomenon known as neuroprotection), which may slow the progression of Parkinson’s.

You can find some local providers here https://www.cdparkinsons.org/health-care-providers

A neurologist specializes in conditions of the brain. He or she can confirm your diagnosis and establish an appropriate treatment plan.

A movement disorder specialist is a neurologist with additional training in movement disorders. Movement disorder specialists are much more familiar with Parkinson’s and may be able to make a diagnosis sooner. They also know more about current research and treatment options and will recognize when to refer you to experts who can help address specific aspects of Parkinson’s, such as a sleep specialist for sleeping troubles and a speech and language therapist to improve your speech and swallowing.

If you don’t have a movement disorder specialist close to home, seek out an empathetic neurologist who is experienced treating people with Parkinson’s and who will listen to you and your family, work with you to define your needs and goals and be open to your suggestions and ideas as an active participant in your own treatment plan. If your team doesn’t include a movement disorder specialist, you’ll want to be more informed and prepared to advocate for the treatment and services you need from healthcare providers not necessarily specialized in Parkinson’s.

Your primary care physician (PCP) will also be very important over the coming years. He or she will help you stay healthy with regular check-ups and will complement your neurologist in treating non-motor symptoms. Your doctor will typically manage your medications and refer you to additional healthcare professionals as needed.

Other routine medical providers like your optometrist, dentist and obstetrician/gynecologist for women will continue to be essential parts of your care team and should be informed about Parkinson’s as well as the symptoms you are experiencing.

Establishing a broader medical team early builds a network of specialists who will become familiar with you and your symptoms and be with you as things evolve over time. Connecting with rehabilitation specialists will be essential at all stages of Parkinson’s, even early on or when symptoms are mild. Rehabilitation specialists include physical therapists, speech therapists and occupational therapists. Your rehabilitation team can help prevent or delay problems, minimize the impact of symptoms and maintain daily functioning as Parkinson’s progresses.

Depending on your symptoms, you may also consider adding other, more medically-based specialists to your care team. These could include a sleep specialist to assist with problems sleeping or a neuropsychologist to help with changes in how you think and process, such as making decisions or retrieving the right word in conversations.