Parkinson s disease usually develops at a very slow rate and the early signs of this disease often go unnoticed. As the condition progresses, the symptoms become more prominent. Parkinson s disease affects the nervous system and cannot be completely cured. However, with proper treatment, its rate of progression can be slowed and this condition can be managed. The earlier a diagnosis is made, the more effective treatment will be. Thus, it is important to be able to recognize the signs the symptoms of this disease.

The signs and symptoms of Parkinson s disease vary from person to person. In most cases, symptoms begin on one side of the body and are worse on that side even after it begins to be noticed on the other side. These symptoms can include:

Tremors
Involuntary shaking of a part of the body is usually the first sign of Parkinson s the hands are most affected by this symptom. These tremors can be felt while performing an activity or even when the hand is at rest. In some cases, it can even keep a person from performing normal tasks such as writing. Tremors caused by Parkinson s can also take the form of an uncontrollable back and forth rubbing movement between the thumb and forefinger.

Slow Movements
This is also known as bradykinesia. As the disease progresses, it can slow down movement and reduce the person s ability to move. Simple tasks such as walking can become more difficult and take much longer. The person s steps may become shorter and they may also drag their feet as they walk. Parkinson s patients may also find it difficult to get in and out of chairs.

Rigidity
Parkinson s can make muscles stiff and difficult to move. This can affect the muscles of any part of the body. This rigidity can limit the person s range of movement and make moving the affected muscles very painful.

Loss of certain movements
In addition to muscle rigidity, the person may not be able to make certain movements that we take for granted. For example, he or she may not be able to blink or smile. Swinging the arms while walking may also become more difficult.

Changes to speech
Parkinson s can make a person speak slower and reduce his or her natural volume. The person s speech may also sound slurred. In addition, they may find it difficult to speak with inflections due to which their speech may appear to be monotonic.

Imbalance
Parkinson s may affect a person s posture and balance. In many cases, Parkinson s patients develop a stoop. The loss of balance can make climbing stairs difficult and cause them to fall easily.

Parkinson's Disease - Signs And Symptoms You Should Know About It!

Cerebral palsy and occupational therapy

In order to recover the skills that are required for leading an independent and a satisfying life after any injury or disease, an occupational therapist is required. The word occupation refers to the tasks which one has to perform everyday not to one s profession. Muscle and joint coordination issues can be fixed with the help of occupational therapy in case if kids .These include the daily activities like eating, brushing using the toilet. With the help of OT your cognitive and social abilities and even your motor skills will improve at a very good rate.

How is this beneficial for children with cerebral palsy?

Occupational therapy will be helpful to the children who are specially suffering from cerebral palsy. These benefits includes:

- It will increase the chances of making your child more independent.
- It will boost their ability to play as well as to learn.
- The self esteem and the confidence of your child will readily increase.
- They ll have a sense of accomplishment.
- Their quality of life will improve as well.
- This is also beneficial for the parents as well. It will reduce your stress and will provide you with a sense of security.

What to expect?

Occupational therapy is different for different children who have cerebral palsy. It depends on one s physical, intellectual and social emotional abilities .The first session is basically done for evaluation where your child s fine motor and will be observed how your child responds to touch or any kind of movement. The parents are also interviewed in order to find out about the strengths and the weaknesses of your child. For children with cerebral palsy, a revaluation should be done in every 7-8 months in order to see the progress and change the treatment plan accordingly as per the improvement .The operational therapist will use some specific techniques which will help your child to improve very quickly and reach their destination.

These techniques are :

Paediatric constraint induced Movement therapy: This therapy helps your child to move the weaker parts of the body by restraining the stronger counterpart. If you child has a difficulty in moving one of the arms then the stronger arm will be restrained and the weaker arm will be trained in order to gain the strength.

Sensory integration therapy: This type of therapy will help your child to improve the ability bro receive , interpret and act on the information and situations that comes in your child s brain with the help of sensory receptors .

Occupational therapy has been a very important part in improving the physical and the mental discomfort faced by your child when he or she is suffering from cerebral palsy. The therapist may even provide your child with some gadgets in order to make his /her daily life easier and more independent. This helps your child to improve and gradually get better at it without any sort of negativity. While you re looking for a OT make sure the person has enough experience and knowledge, just to ensure that your child gets the right treatment.



Cerebral Palsy And Occupational Therapy

Autism and the role of homeopathy in treating this condition

A mental condition that takes shape during early childhood, Autism is identified by characteristics like difficulty in communication, the use of language, understanding abstract concepts and building bonds with other people. This brain development disorder is also characterized by the performance of repetitive behaviors in the affected individual.

Homeopathy approach in treating Autism

Diagnosis of the condition by a homeopath requires the adoption of an extensive and intensive approach. From collecting detailed information about symptoms like a reaction to vaccines, thermal sensitivities and medical history of the family to understanding sleep postures; treatment of this condition requires an understanding of every vital factor associated with the condition. The hardcore approach is vital for understanding the stimulus/response connection of symptoms. This is because whenever an autistic child undergoes stressful situations, the reaction is a sign that a homeopath cannot ignore. By completely understanding the cycle of stress and reaction, a homeopath can only be able to suggest the right treatment program.

What about the remedies prescribed for treating the condition?

Being a holistic branch of medicine, homeopathy takes into account the complete physical as well as the mental makeup of the individual. Additionally, in this alternative medicine, the homeopath also takes into consideration the details of the disease while recommending remedies. Remedies like Carcinocin, Secretin and Thuja are favored the most for treating the condition. At the same time, the appropriate remedies are recommended after having a thorough understanding as to whether the individual falls within the constitutional makeup of the remedies considered.

Another essential aspect of this branch of medicine in the treatment of this brain development disorder is the practice of using LM potencies (homeopathic medicines on the last scale of potencies). These remedies are not only acted faster but are also gentler compared to others. They have been found to be very effective in preventing the individual from falling prey to the old symptoms and can be frequently repeated as well as used for a long time. 

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

Can Birth Conditions like Autism be Treated with Homeopathy?

Ageing is inevitable, and as much as we want to escape, there is no way out. All organs, whether obvious or not, undergo gradual degeneration and deterioration. The brain is no exception, and memory being one of its main function also begins to decline with age. There are various factors which determine how quickly this ageing sets in and how rapidly it progresses. These are dictated by a person s lifestyle, activity levels, and overall body changes. Dementia also has a strong family history, and if you know someone who has a family history, there are some early signs that you could watch for. This will help in both empathizing with the person, as well as to help in arresting progression. Read on to know the signs that need to be watched out for.

Mood changes: Sudden changes in mood, especially going into short periods of depression without an obvious reason, is one of the first symptoms of dementia. If it is happening repeatedly, this can help identify dementia.
Personality changes: If a shy person suddenly becomes outgoing or vice versa, this could be an early indicator of dementia. They either develop or shed inhibitions, which is a new change for them.
Memory loss: Sudden short-term memory loss for a person who had a very strong memory is a definite indicator of dementia. They might clearly remember the distant events but forget small things like where to find their medicines, where things are in the kitchen or bathroom, etc. Because of this, you might see them repeating what they just did. This could be like washing a glass again, saying or asking the same thing again, etc.
The difficulty with regular tasks: Short-term memory loss causes difficulty with regular tasks like laying out the dinner table, finding regular medicines, paying utility bills, etc. There is also difficulty in learning new tasks, which further complicates things.
Feeling lost: Due to sudden memory loss and difficulty with regular tasks, they suddenly feel lost, which in turns adds to their depression.
Apathy: This also leads to a general lack of interest in things and people around them. They could have had hobbies, which no longer interest them.
Disoriented: They find it difficult to be aligned to time and space. Directions which they clearly know could seem difficult.
Not able to connect the dots: While the elderly people are generally good at telling stories and anecdotes, with dementia setting in, this becomes difficult.
These are some symptoms which can help identify if a near one is slowly developing dementia. Identifying in the early stages can help in arresting progress and extending support.

Dementia - How To Know If Someone Is Suffering From It?

Dementia cannot be singularly regarded as a specific disease, but rather indicates a group of symptoms associated with your memory, cognitive thinking, and social abilities, up to the point where daily functioning gets affected. In most cases, dementia steadily worsens over time (progressive dementias). Dementia is not to be confused with memory loss alone; because it is natural with old people to experience memory loss, but that does not necessarily mean they have dementia. If the reason is dementia, then you may require medical treatment.

Causes

Dementias are generally caused either by damage to or changes in the nerve cells operating in the brain. The causes can be grouped differently based on the type of dementia experienced and the part of the brain affected. While some causes can be reversed with effective treatment, others, unfortunately, cannot.

The most common causes of dementia which cannot be reversed include:

1. Alzheimer's disease
2. Vascular dementia
3. Parkinson's disease
4. Frontotemporal dementia
5. Dementia with Lewy (dementia which is neurodegenerative and progressive in nature) bodies
6. Severe head injuries

Other irreversible causes which are relatively rarer than usual include:

1. Huntington's disease (breakage of the brain's nerve cells)
2. Creutzfeldt-jakob disease (irreversible and fatal brain disease)
3. Multiple sclerosis or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
4. Infections like syphilis
5. Leukoencephalopathies (diseases affecting the brain's'white' areas)
6. Brain injuries
7. Multiple system atrophy

Causes of dementia which can be treated include:

1. Hypothyroidism
2. Heavy metal poisoning
3. Certain brain tumors
4. Chronic alcoholism
5. Hiv/aids
6. Vitamin b12 deficiency
7. Medicinal side effects or abnormal drug reactions
8. Normal pressure hydrocephalus
9. Certain cases of encephalitis

Symptoms

Symptoms of dementia include:

1. Memory loss
2. Difficulty finding the right words
3. Difficulty exercising judgments, especially during emergencies
4. Inability to recall particular events or to recognize people and places
5. Depression or other mood disorders, in addition to symptoms like uncontrolled aggression or constant agitation.

Causes and Symptoms of Dementia

Cure insomnia with natural remedies


Insomnia is the situation where someone is unable to sleep, despite being tired or having had a tough day. It also applies when a person can fall asleep but is unable to stay asleep for long. Sleep apnea, chronic pain, indigestion, stress, medications, hormones, depression, chronic pain and restless leg syndrome are few of the symptoms of insomnia. Insomnia has become quite common and increasing ever so rapidly with our daily stressful lifestyle. There are some simple ways to combat insomnia:

1. Make Sleep a habit : 
There is a general practice to cut the sleep short whenever we go behind the schedule. Be it sitting for an important examination or preparing for a challenging assignment. It is always the sleep whom we sacrifice. This is a very bad practice. We need to remember that adults needs eight to ten hours of sleep for proper mental functioning. So make sleep a habit , try to follow a simple routine. It will help you establishing  regular sleep-wake cycles which will in long run prevent insomnia.

2. Add amino acids to diet: 
Include in your diet, foods that are high in the amino acid called tryptophan because they help calm the nerve. Chicken, tuna and turkey are such types of foods.

3.Drink hot milk: 
It has been an age-old custom to have a glass of warm milk before going to sleep. So, If you are not allergic to dairy products, you can drink a glass of milk before bedtime. It has sedative effect due to presence of tryptophan.

4. Avoid caffeine after noon and Limit alcohol and nicotine intake:
Avoid Coffee, alcohol and food with high fat content and foods which can cause allergies, at least a few hours before your bedtime. Drinking water or coconut water, after drinking alcohol is advisable. This increases the hydration level in the body and helps you sleep. You should also avoid nicotine  which is also a stimulant thus adversely affects normal sleep.

5. Pick magnesium rich foods: 
Foods which are high in magnesium are known to relax our system. Foods like oats, leafy vegetables, sunflower seeds and sesame can be included in your diet for best results against insomnia.

6. Stay away from your phone at bedtime:
It has been postulated that the blue wavelengths produced by your smartphone and other gadgets (and energy-efficient LED light bulbs) significantly suppress the production of melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy, according to University of Basel research. So it is better avoiding surfing the phone at bed. You have enough time with it during the whole day. Is not it? Let her sleep too.

7. Practice yoga:
Practice 15 minutes of simple, yoga-like poses (such as neck rolls, shoulder rolls, and arm and back stretches) to help your muscles unwind before hitting the bed. But you should go slowly. “The goal is to loosen your muscles to prepare your body for a good night’s sleep, not increase your heart rate,” 

8. Try aromatherapy:
Studies have shown that aromatherapy aids in sleep. Lavender oil is most commonly used, It's also an inexpensive, nontoxic way to slip into a peaceful slumber. Find a spray with real lavender and spritz it on your pillow before bedtime and it may help you go asleep better.
 
9. Adopt deep breathing exercises:
Practice deep breathing  and relaxation exercises. They are simple and can be performed lying on bed. This will help you let go stress and worries that are troubling you and will therefore calm your nerves.

10. Re-organise your bedroom:
Bedroom should be quiet and dark to have proper sleep. You can use dark window curtains which will cut the lights from outside. You can try using sleep mask. Try not to watch television for at least half an hour before bed. Make your bed comfortable with extra mattress, pillows that are not too soft or too hard. Doing these simple things will make a lot of difference in your sleep habit.
 
 



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Fight insomnia naturally. #SleepWell 

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