Tremors

Tremor can be classified into two main categories:

Parkinsonian tremor

Parkinsonian tremor is a common symptom of Parkinson’s disease, although not all people with Parkinson’s disease have tremor. Generally, symptoms include shaking in one or both hands at rest. It may also affect the chin, lips, face, and legs. The tremor may initially appear in only one limb or on just one side of the body. As the disease progresses, it may spread to both sides of the body. The tremor is often made worse by stress or strong emotions. More than 25 percent of people with Parkinson’s disease also have an associated action tremor.

Resting tremor occurs when the muscle is relaxed, such as when the hands are resting on the lap.  With this disorder, a person’s hands, arms, or legs may shake even when they are at rest.  Often, the tremor only affects the hand or fingers.  This type of tremor is often seen in people with Parkinson’s disease and is called a “pillrolling” tremor because the circular finger and hand movements resemble rolling of small objects or pills in the hand. 

Action tremor

Action tremor occurs with the voluntary movement of a muscle. Most types of tremor are considered action tremor. There are several sub-classifications of action tremor, many of which overlap.

Most of the tremors I have experienced are Action tremors. Which means, they happen when I am actively trying to do something. All I need to do, to stop the tremor is to relax my hand, or leg, etc. The problem comes when I need to maintain a grip, because I am carrying something or lifting a utinsel toward my mouth, because if I relax it would result in a dropped item or spilled food. I have learned to use two hands when carrying items I would previously carried with one hand, and lay my fork down while I chew. I feel very fortunate that I am able to relax my feet, legs. arms, hands and even my chin/jaw with ease.

A tremor is most commonly classified by its appearance and cause or origin.  There are more than 20 types of tremor.  Since I don’t manifest very much resting tremors but have many non-motor symptoms, the Doctor ordered a datscan, to confirm I had a significant lose of dopamine… thus Parkinson’s instead of essential tremor

Essential tremor

Essential tremor (previously also called benign essential tremor or familial tremor) is one of the most common movement disorders.  The exact cause of essential tremor is unknown.  For some people this tremor is mild and remains stable for many years.  The tremor usually appears on both sides of the body, but is often noticed more in the dominant hand because it is an action tremor.

This information was found at: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Tremor-Fact-Sheet#:

One Face of Parkinsons

Masked facies (also known as hypomimia) is the loss of facial expressions most commonly associated with Parkinson’s disease. It is so named because the condition gives the affected person a fixed, mask-like expression.

In Parkinson’s disease, masking can develop as the progressive loss of motor control extends to the facial muscles as it does to other parts of the body. Masked facies can complicate an already difficult situation, alienating acquaintances who may be put off or disturbed by the apparent lack of emotional response.

I’d like to refer you to a previous post done on 5/20/19… https://silverliningsandparkinsons.home.blog/2019/05/20/smile/

For those with sleep problems

On May 5th I mentioned a glimmer of hope for a technology and newly approved device.

I was able to acquire my Healy and the Healy watch. I have been amazed by the sleep patterns I was seeing, since beginning to wear the watch over night. When I was still awake at 4 am this past Friday, I decided that I would use the Sleep System & Balanced Sleep programs, to see how it improved my sleep. I was very pleased with how much more deep sleep time I had Saturday & even better on Sunday night.

[I have copied some of the readings from the Healy Watch to show you the patterns I was seeing]

6/11/2020

6/17/2020

6-19-2020

6/20/2020 [Some how I had inacivated the heart moniter.. there is a learning curve.]

6/21/2020 [I copied the first screen of the sleep study for this one: after I did the Sleep Syst & Sleep balance programs]

6/22/2020 [ Second night after running the programs for sleep]

My heart rate is running a little fast. guess I’ll use a program for my heart, also.

I figured other PwP who have complaints of poor sleep might be interested.

As a reminder: The Healy device has 20,000 medical doctor users in Europe and tens of thousands in 43 countries who are not doctors and became available May 1st in the USA. The Healy uses Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM) therapy. In the book The Resonance Effect, you can learn FSM works on the body on the same principle as a key fob which uses resonance to unlock a car door (or) as a radio transmitter and receiver resonate with each other to bring a signal into your radio.. or TV. “Resonance follows the laws of physics and the observations and principles of science”

ps… the wonderful money saving offer has been extended to the end of this month June 30th. If you would like to know more, please connect with me me at grandma.connection@gmail.com

 

terms I’ve learned

Ataxia,  Impaired balance or coordination, can be due to damage to brain, nerves, or muscles:       Common symptoms include:

  • Unsteady walk and a tendency to trip or stumble
  • Change in speech, including a slur
  • Poor coordination
  • Difficulty picking up objects, eating, or doing activities that require fine-motor skills
  • Fast back-and-forth eye movements
  • Trouble swallowing
 

What causes ataxia?

Uncoordinated movement can be a symptom of many underlying causes, from viral infections to head injuries to Parkinson’s disease.

Symptoms of ataxia can be a sign that you may have a disorder of the nervous system or a part of the brain that coordinates movement (known as the cerebellum).

Camptocormia, also known as bent spine syndrome (BSS), is a symptom of a multitude of diseases that is most commonly seen in the elderly. It is identified by an abnormal thoracolumbar spinal flexion, which is a forward bending of the lower joints of the spine, occurring in a standing position….. I just wanted to let you know that I recently read an article on The Spine and Spinal cord, and how many people that have Parkinson’s Disease, have a (“bent Forward posture”) which in turn can cause the depletion of Dopamine in the brain.? So I try to adjust my posture along with anything else that will help improve my quality of life.!

The akinesia–hypokinesia–bradykinesia complex implies slowed motor function. Akinesia is the inability to initiate movement, hypokinesia indicates reduced amplitude of movement and bradykinesia implies slowed speed of movement (Marsden, 1989). … Bradykinesia as a symptom reported by PD patients depends on the lifestyle.

Cogwheeling in Parkinson’s disease is that jerky feeling in your arm or leg that you (or your doctor) can sense when rotating that limb or joint. It is an early symptom of Parkinson’s.

Dysautonomia also can occur as a primary condition or in association with degenerative neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. ……………………….Symptoms can include the following:

  • resting tachycardia, or a fast resting heart rate.
  • orthostatic hypotension, or low blood pressure when standing.
  • constipation.
  • breathing problems.
  • gastroparesis, or food not correctly passing through the stomach.
  • erectile dysfunction.
  • sudomotor dysfunction, or irregularities with sweating.

……… all involve the autonomic nervous system (ANS).

Dysautonomia is not a single disease process. The autonomic nervous system may undergo injury as part of several different degenerative neurologic diseases.

 

Baroreflex failure

( a dysautonomia) The baroreflex mechanism is one way in which the body maintains a healthy blood pressure.

Baroreceptors are stretch receptors situated in important blood vessels. They detect stretching in the artery walls and send messages to the brainstem.

If these messages fail, blood pressure can be too low when resting, or it can rise dangerously during times of stress or activity.

Other symptoms include headaches, excessive sweating, and an abnormal heart rate that does not respond to medication.

 Dysarthria often is characterized by slurred or slow speech that can be difficult to understand.

Masked faces (also known as hypomimia) is the loss of facial expressions most commonly associated with Parkinson’s disease. … As such, we tend to use the term hypomimia to describe facial masking within the context of .

Convergence insufficiency rather than oblique double vision.

 

Sialorrhea (drooling)

I realized there are various symptoms associated with Parkinson’s that I have listed in the index… but not posted any information on them, so I guess I will begin to complete the task.

Sialorrhea, or drooling, is the medical term for an excess spillage of saliva from the mouth. Chronic sialorrhea is when you’ve experienced this drooling for at least 3 months.

Sialorrhea can affect up to 3 out of 4 patients with Parkinson’s disease.
In many patients with sialorrhea, it’s not that their salivary glands are making too much saliva — it’s that their neurodegenerstive disease, such as PD, makes it hard to swallow. The saliva builds up or “pools” in the mouth, which leads to drooling.

For me, I think it isn’ really all that hard to swallow. But when I am focusing on a task, I don’t feel the saliva building up or falling from my mouth, until it hits my hands. It is that I don’t think to swallow.

I have learned to keep a cloth in the corner of my mouth, when I retire for the night and the Amandatine is no longer in effect, to wick out the saliva.

I saw an ad today for Myobloc… an injection therapy for resolving the problem, but the possible side effects sound so horrific, I’d have to pass on giving it a try.

Food as medicine and microwaves

I want to recommend a blog created by three ladies; Marilee, Allison and Kelly. https://branchbasics.com/blog/ They typed; “We believe choices like the food we put in our bodies, the paint we put on our walls, and the cleaners we use around our homes have power; the power to rob us of good health or to cultivate it.”

It all began when Marilee avoided dialysis and a kidney transplant through a change in diet using “Food as Medicine”. She saw clearly how the choices we make each day, such as the food we eat, can literally change the course of our life.

Allison’s physical breakdown was linked to chemical exposure from the building materials in her newly-constructed apartment…… It wasn’t until she spent a summer living with Marilee – where everything Allison put in, on and around her body was truly clean – that her symptoms disappeared and she experienced whole-body healing. To say she was sold on this lifestyle is an understatement! She went on to naturally reverse PCOS and, in 2016, conceive a beautiful baby girl, something doctors told her would never happen

All of the “normal” problems Kelly had experienced her whole life: dry and itchy eyes, painful menstrual cramps, headaches, etc. disappeared! Turns out they don’t have to be normal after all.

I found these Food storage tricks to reduce waste at the post: https://branchbasics.com/blog/how-to-eat-clean-on-a-budget/

  • Store food in jars. This is an economic game-changer. Not only is it healthier than using plastic storage containers, but it makes it easier to see dry goods and leftovers so nothing gets wasted.
  • Line your crispers with paper towels to absorb moisture and prevent veggies from spoiling.
  • Stop fruit flies from ruining your fruit by keeping a small jar of vinegar with a few drops of dish soap on the counter. The flies are attracted to the vinegar and will drown.
  • Store onions and potatoes in paper bags to prevent sprouting.
  • If you buy carrots in bulk, you can store them in a bin of sand to keep them fresh for weeks.
  • Remove produce from plastic, this prevents the natural gasses from over-ripening and spoiling your food.
  • Store raw nuts and nut flours in the fridge or freezer to prevent spoilage.
  • Store fresh herbs upright in water, like flowers, to keep them from getting slimy.
  • Get familiar with what can be frozen. For example, did you know you can freeze milk for future use in smoothies and sauces? And cheese and cottage cheese can be frozen as well.
  • Keep all your citrus in the fridge.
  • Revitalize limp veggies, like lettuce, celery, and carrots, by placing them in cold water.

It makes me tired just reading the details involved in truly deep-cleaning a home, but it makes sense. https://branchbasics.com/blog/a-heavy-duty-clean-up-job/ Sorry, I’ll never go to that extreme!

And we don’t like to be reminded https://branchbasics.com/blog/why-we-dont-use-microwaves/ If we know something, but continue to ignore the truth, who do we have to blame but ourselves?

Peyer’s Patches and The Lymphatic system

I read a very in-depth blog entry today https://branchbasics.com/blog/16-ways-to-activate-your-lymphatic-system/

I found it very informative. For example: I knew about lymph nodes but did not understand how the tonsils, adenoids, appendix, and peyer’s patches –contribute. I don’t even remember ever hearing about peyer’s patches before. According to the internet, they are like “Tonsils in the intestine”. I also learned how the thymus, spleen and bone marrow contribute to the lymph system.

The person who led me to the article said; “The post has ideas to help (lymphatic) circulation, and the list of symptoms they report that are associated with poor circulation are the same as some of the Parkinson’s symptoms, as are the remedies. Give it a go!”

I already have incorporated a number of the 16 ways mentioned. Since my sweetheart was able to put our infared sauna in the master bath, we spend half an hour in it 5 0r 6 mornings of each week. Way #11 just reaffirms the benefit for me.

11. Infrared sauna “Fact: Infrared saunas provide a gentle, side-effect-free, effective mechanism for detoxification. Their waves penetrate deep into the human body, elevating the body’s surface temperature, activating circulation, sweating and excretion of toxins from the lymph and blood through the skin. The heat also increases your heart rate and encourages deeper breathing, which boosts the drainage process even further.”

“Tip: If you have access to an infrared sauna, take advantage of this effective lymphatic activator. Practice conscious deep breathing during your sauna to supercharge lymphatic drainage. Take a break every 15 minutes to shower in cold water for 30 seconds to promote even more circulation and stimulation of the lymph.”

“Understanding how the lymph works and what to do to mobilize your lymphatic system is priceless information. It can make the difference in smoother detox process, catching or not catching a cold, or having a “flu-free winter”. The exciting news is that keeping the lymph moving doesn’t have to cost money – just move with a few daily exercises, drink plenty of water, and eat healthy food. When the lymph is working, the complexion glows and the body is full of vitality; and if you become ill, you have tools to help regain your health. This is a fundamental part of a conscious preventive health care plan.”

define… ‘Progress’

My neurologist referred me to physical therapy. I couldn’t go until they opened up the state a little. The main focus is to improve my posture, with a variety of muscle stretches and exercises, but when I told the therapist I’d discovered I could no longer skip or even do a little hop, he showed me a machine that enables me to experience jumping again. I did three reps of thirty little jumps on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Yesterday, when home I attempted to jump, I was able to get a little air between my feet and the floor. 🙂

I am encouraged! Today I went to glean corn from a field. I would fill a bucket, and a brother would come along with another empty bucket to trade me. I wouldn’t have been able to lift the full bucket, but as I walked down between two rows of corn, I was able to move the bucket along, Since beginning the B-1 Thiamine therapy protocol, my balance has improved so much! And since beginning the Amantadine, my energy has been wonderful to experience. After two hours in the hot Florida sun, I was able to sit on the kitchen stool and shucked three dozen ears of corn, to prep for the freezer. Life is good.

For those PwP who are not seeing the type of improvement that I am enjoying, I thought I would share a perspective from Cory King’s blog ‘The crooked Path’ he defines “progress” as “no backward movement.” . “This ingenious technique usually works, at least partially.  As an example, it’s been used to coerce the Medicare program to continue to spend money on physical therapy for people with Parkinson’s when there is no clear evidence of improvement – as long as you’re slowing down the rate of degeneration, that’s progress”.

Making progress

I have started going to physical therapy, per my neurologists instructions. Yesterday the therapist (Mike) allowed John to come in and observe. Mike took time to explain why he was having me do each activity and instructed John on how he could assist me at home, to help me stretch the muscles and tendons which are typically drawn tight with Parkinson’s.

I have always been pretty limber and could touch my toes without bending my knees. So I never saw the benefit of stretching before exercising. But times have changed. He had me stand on a foot board which angled the foot up to a 45 degree angle, which stretched the muscles in the calf of the leg. I felt it for three days after.

Mostly, the effort is to improve my posture. And level my shoulders, because I lean to the left so much. Mike also works with me, giving me suggestions to help me remember to swing my arms and where to place my feet. He says I walk in a scissor step crossing one foot in front of the other.

I went to my primary care doctor today for him to review all of the results of the recent blood work and other tests he had ordered. He said everything looked perfect. No sugar problems, no high cholesterol, heart, thyroid, liver and kidney function are all great.

I received a bonus container of “Pure Creatine” with a mail order. A couple months ago, I decided to go to the internet to see what it was used for and was surprised to see claims that some people feel it has been helpful for PwP. I use an electrolyte drink mix recommended by my primary care doctor. To my surprise, a scoop of the Creatine added to a 12 oz bottle of electrolyte blends right in and is flavorless. So, I am using it up.

Who knows? Perhaps the Creatine will work in synergy with the StemEnhance I am taking. I can definitely report the B1 Thiamine has helped resolve my balance issues, And the Amantadine continues to provide me with unparalleled energy.

 

 

 

Another glimmer of hope

ps… the dilation of my esophagus went well.

In December of 2019 my friend Reg McDaniel discovered a device only available in Europe and Reg’s friend ordered one out of Germany to arrive in UT.  It’s an FDA approved class II medical device and Reg has traveled with him on many occasions and seen with his own eyes miracles occur in hours , not days, weeks or months.  
          On April 30th Reg wrote:  “I write this today because as of today it is available in the USA  and if you are interested, I will gladly share it with you.  It costs between $470 plus tax and shpg. to $2,357 if you want all the bells and whistles and that is what I chose.  There is a $49 processing fee.  For those who buy one before May 15th at midnight I can save you hundreds of dollars on the smaller packages to over $1,000 on the largest available package.  After the date of May 15th, everyone pays full price and all fees. I have seen with my own eyes in hours what I’ve seen in the past take – days, weeks and months to resolve.  If this doesn’t interest you then we’re done.  For those who want to know more then read on:”

          Reg then told me about a book, which I purchased to read on Kindle.  All I can say is wow!!  I want to experience this health promoting tool!

“The book on Amazon you can buy right now is called Resonance Therapy by Carolyn McMakin. https://www.amazon.com/Resonance-Effect-Frequency-Specific-Microcurrent-ebook/dp/B01HL140R4/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=resonance+therapy&qid=1587995482&sr=8-2“

“In it you can read about all the diseases it has dealt with for the past 20 years with 98 %  success rate in hours vs. days weeks or months.”

I plan to obtain the device… If you read the book, you just might want to experience it for yourself.