LIFESTYLE NEWS - Exercise is one of the ways to improve your physical well-being and it aids in great measure to get rid of ailments, aches and pains. Follow the exercise programme provided by the biokineticists at Anine van der Westhuizen Biokineticist in George and feel the difference.
This week biokineticist Lize Coetzee discusses Parkinson's disease.
As April is Parkinson's month and World Parkinson's Day is celebrated on 11 April, we have decided to devote some time to this debilitating condition. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes certain nerve cells (neurons) in the brain to gradually break down or die. PD affects predominately dopamine-producing ("dopaminergic") neurons in a specific area of the brain called substantia nigra.
Dopaminergic neurons play an important role in the control of multiple brain functions, including voluntary movement and a broad array of behavioural processes such as mood, reward, addiction, and stress.
The cause of Parkinson's disease is unknown, but several factors appear to play a role, including your genes and environmental factors such as exposure to toxins. Risk factors include sex, age, exposure to toxins and heredity. Men are more prone to developing Parkinson's disease. The risk for developing the disease increases with age. Individuals usually develop Parkinson's in middle to late life.
Early signs may be mild and may go unnoticed. Symptoms often begin on one side of the body and usually remain worse on that side, even after they begin to affect both sides. Symptoms start gradually, sometimes with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. Tremors are common, but the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement. The most common symptoms are slowed movement (bradykinesia), impaired posture and balance, speech changes, tremor, rigid muscles, loss of automatic movements and writing changes.
Some research has shown that regular aerobic exercise can improve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. This is where we as biokineticists can help you.
One of our biokineticists is qualified to give Dance for Parkinson's treatment. Scientific research has shown that dance-based exercises have a positive outcome in helping to improve the quality of life for PD individuals. Next week we will go into more details about how dancing can help for Parkinson's disease.
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