What to do when you are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease? As you know, getting diagnosed with PD is challenging. You might feel shocked, scared, and anxious because of the diagnosis. At that moment, you might feel confused about what to do.
If you or your loved one recently got Parkinson’s, don’t feel lost or stuck. I’m here to tell you that after a diagnosis of Parkinson’s, you can do a few things to live a good life with Parkinson’s.
In this article, I’ll explain what you should do if you are new to Parkinson’s disease.
Things to do when diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
As a new Parkinson’s patient, you should do the following things.
1: See the Neurologist
The first thing you have to do after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease is to see a specialist. But what type of specialist helps you with Parkinson’s disease? A neurologist is the best doctor to treat Parkinson’s disease because they specialize in brain and nerve disorders.
They understand how the disease affects movement and can provide the right medications, therapies, and treatments to help manage symptoms. If someone has Parkinson’s, seeing a neurologist can improve their quality of life.
If you are in Orlando, visit Neurology One, and get advanced treatment for Parkinson’s.
2: Be relax
There is no need to panic if you get news of your Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. Relax, and try to understand first what this disease is, and how you can manage it. You can not fix it within days. It will remain with you for a lifetime, and you can manage it by consulting a neurologist.
You can do some relaxing techniques e.g. Listen to good music, do meditation, practice deep breathing, and get a massage or a warm bath to relax yourself.
3: Educate yourself
The best way to manage your Parkinson’s disease is to first educate yourself. You have to know everything about your disease so you can better understand its severity and learn how to manage it. But the question is, how do you educate yourself?
There are different websites, that educate you about Parkinson’s disease, but always visit official medical websites. You can also join social media groups to learn about your disease. In these groups, you can get help from people’s experiences.
4: Track your symptoms
Tracking your symptoms after diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease is a positive step. You should not wait until symptoms aggravate. Consult a neurologist as soon as possible. You must initially try to counteract them with exercise or physical therapy.
5: Create healthy habits
Adopting healthy habits helps you manage your newly diagnosed Parkinson’s disease. According to research, Pd is not curable. You can manage it with healthy habits such as;
Eating only healthy food,
Setting your bedtime,
Getting up early in the morning, doing some yoga and other mental health therapies,
Avoid excessive screen time,
Sitting in a gathering, and
All these healthy habits are really helpful for people with Pd.
6: Stay engaged
Do you know that mental and social engagement is likely to affect physical fitness? That’s why people with Parkinson’s disease, like you, should engage in healthy activities. You must attend family gatherings, meet your friends, and join clubs.
If you work in a very tiring environment, you should retire to enjoy more social activities.
7: Boost the activity
You can become more active by hiking, swimming, biking, and other exercises. Moreover, you can also join yoga, boxing, and Argentine tango classes.
These activities slow down the disease’s progress. In Parkinson’s disease, your muscle mass, motor speed, and coordination decrease, but if you exercise, then you’ll maintain coordination and fitness.
8: Give yourself time to adjust
Give yourself time to adjust. With time, you will know better about Parkinson’s disease, but now you are a beginner. It will take some time to make a positive result. You will learn with time, how to manage Parkinson’s disease, and how to deal with issues related to Parkinson’s disease.
9: Do regular exercises
Daily exercise is really helpful for patients with Parkinson’s disease. If you are diagnosed with PD, start exercising daily. Some exercises help you manage Parkinson’s condition, such as aerobic exercises like walking, cycling, swimming, etc. Research has proved that aerobic exercises help improve the quality of life.
Moreover, strength exercises are also good for people with Parkinson’s disease. A recent study published in the American Academy of Neurology found that strength training, such as body weight exercises and resistance training, helps improve balance, gait, and tremor coordination. So, start exercises right after the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease to avoid other complications.
10: Focus on your diet
A proper diet is important for managing Parkinson’s disease. There are a few food items that you should include in your diet.
Your diet should include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and legumes because they contain healthy ingredients that can help you recover from Parkinson’s.
Some supplements, such as vitamins B, C, D, E, and coenzyme, are also recommended for Parkinson’s disease treatment.
11: Consult a movement disorder specialist.
Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder; people with this condition experience balance, movement, and coordination issues. That’s why when you find out that you have PD, consult your movement disorder specialist.
A movement disorder specialist can help improve your movements with PD because he diagnoses the issue with advanced technology, provides a better assessment, and gives you the best treatment.
So consult a movement disorder specialist in the early days to get therapy early, such as deep brain stimulation, infusion therapy, botulinum toxin injections, etc.
12: Talk about it
Start talking about your newly diagnosed Parkinson’s disease. There is nothing to be ashamed about this condition because it’s a medical condition, and anyone can get it at any time. So, talk about your cognition with your friends and family. Share your feelings with them, such as what you are feeling and what you want to do. In the early days of Parkinson’s disease you needed to share your thoughts; no need to hold all the thoughts and feelings inside you.
13: Teamwork
A person with Parkinson’s disease can’t manage this disease alone. It is all about teamwork. As a Parkinson’s patient, you have to cooperate with your healthcare team, share every detail with them, and follow their instructions. Your healthcare team includes your neurologist, movement disorder specialist, rehabilitation service, psychosocial support, etc.
Additionally, be cooperative with your supportive team, talk to them, and share your feelings. Your support also includes your family and friends.
Conclusion
It is difficult for newly diagnosed Parkinson’s patients to deal with this disease because they may face various issues. If you are a Parkinson’s disease patient, do a few things to improve your life, such as consult with a specialist, relax, concentrate on your diet, exercise, and focus on teamwork.
Visit Neurology One to get advanced treatment options for those with Parkinson’s, so that you can improve your quality of life.
