Parkinson’s disease, tremors and similar movement disorders have become increasingly common throughout the United States. These conditions are only symptoms of deeper neurological problems which can often increase in severity to the point that people become completely dysfunctional. Seeing a loved one go down that path can be incredibly painful and that’s nothing compared to the discomfort they feel as their condition gets worse.
There is very little that you can do for them medically, but there are ways that you can help them cope with their conditions. Some ways to help your friends with a movement disorder include:
Learn About Their Condition
The first thing you should do is learn everything there is about the condition. You need to understand the experience of the condition and how patients of the condition feel before you can help them out. A deeper understanding of the experiences of patients, how the condition progresses and seeing how other people manage the condition can help you better cater to your friends’ needs.
There’s a plethora of areas you need to focus on—you must offer them emotional support, help them maintain a positive outlook and maybe even help them feel functional. The only way to effectively cater to these needs is if you understand them in the first place.
Help Them Out With Tasks
As movement disorders worsen, people find themselves incapable of performing everyday tasks like grocery shopping, cooking or doing laundry. It’s easy to lose perspective and become completely dysfunctional if you basic needs aren’t being met. You should volunteer to help them keep up with these tasks and make sure that your friend is taking care of themselves.
Get Them To Exercise
Physical exercise is known to help people with Parkinson’s improve and even delay the onset of the disease. You should help your friend exercise and exercise with them to offer support if they ever need it. Regular exercise also prevents muscle dystrophy which often contributes to the spread of the disease.
Observe Their Symptoms
The problem with neurological/movement diseases is that patients don’t recognize the severity of their own symptoms. There are minor changes in their symptoms which often point towards a greater problem and should be caught early on. You should consistently see if there are any changes in the symptoms and get them to a specialist to slow down disease progression.
Dr. Farzin Pedouim of Movement Help is a one of the leading headache treatment specialists in Huntington Beach. We also offer treatments for cluster headaches, tension headaches, migraines and many other headache disorders. Get in touch with us today for more information on our services or to book an appointment with Dr. Pedouim today.
