Parkinson's therapy program for adults

Living with Parkinson’s Disease may involve managing many challenging symptoms. Brain-based therapies, such as those offered at Neurofit Brain Centre, may help you or your loved one manage symptoms to improve quality of life.

What is Parkinson’s?

Over two hundred years ago, a British physician named James Parkinson wrote about a condition of ‘shaking palsy’. It then adopted the name Parkinson’s disease, now a well-known neurological condition affecting people across the world.

Despite over 200 years of research, there’s still no cure or known cause of Parkinson’s disease, but more work has been done to understand brain-based Parkinson’s treatments, which we offer at Neurofit Brain Centre.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological condition which affects movement and coordination. It starts when the brain’s dopamine-producing neurons begin to degenerate. This leads to a shortage of dopamine, which is essential for coordinating our movement and balance.

Know the facts about Parkinson’s:

Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, with over 10 million people diagnosed across the world.
It is usually diagnosed around the age of 65, however it can also affect people of working age (about 20% of diagnoses are in younger patients).
There are over 150,000 Australians living with Parkinson’s.
50 Australians are diagnosed everyday with the condition.
Currently there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease.

Understanding Parkinson’s symptoms

When our dopamine levels decrease, we see a decline in the range of motor skills. Like with other neurological conditions, Parkinson’s sufferers often steadily decline through stages and severity as the condition worsens.

The most common symptoms of the condition are:

Motor symptoms

Motor symptoms include:

Tremors and shaking, usually in the hands or fingers, even when at rest.
Slowed movement where everyday tasks like buttoning a shirt or walking may become slower and more difficult.
Muscle rigidity with stiffness in the limbs and joints, limiting overall mobility.
Balance problems which increase the risk of falls.
Freezing – a temporary inability to move, which can lead to falls and injuries (about 38% of patients with Parkinson’s fall each year).

It’s not just motor-related symptoms people experience, but also non-motor symptoms which impact their relationships and daily life.

Non-motor symptoms

Non-motor symptoms include:

Fatigue
Depression & Anxiety
Difficulty swallowing
Apathy
Hallucinations
Constipation
Sleep disturbances
Losing the sense of smell
Lightheadedness or dizziness when standing up (orthostatic hypotension)
Cognitive changes

While there is no one test readily available to diagnose Parkinson’s definitively, doctors and specialists undertake extensive clinical assessments to diagnose and treat the condition.

How does Parkinson’s affect you?

Parkinson’s affects many aspects of life, including:

How Neurofit Brain Centre Can Help?

At Neurofit Brain Centre, we specialise in evidence-based neurological rehabilitation to help individuals manage and slow Parkinson’s symptoms and maintain quality of life; we do this through the brain activity and stimulation.

Given the right stimulation, your brain’s nerve cells can expand and communicate with new nerve cells. Brain-based therapy involves a mix of activities designed to provide that stimulation. The goal is to help restore brain balance – the left and right sides of your brain working closely together in equal partnership.

While we can’t cure neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s, it is often possible to slow the progression and improve symptoms with brain-based therapies.

Our tailored therapy programs include:

Therapy	Effects
Photobiomodulation	Reduce anxiety and improve memory, cognition and sleep
Interactive metronome	Improve motor control
Personalised exercise plans	Improve and maintain strength and balance
Transcranial direct current stimulation	Improve brain balance and visuospatial attention

Our multi-disciplinary team offers people with Parkinson’s a comprehensive, patient-centred care plan to help manage and slow their symptoms. We know how daunting a diagnosis like this can be, and our team can help you navigate many facets of your daily life from one clinic. Contact us today to find out more.