Living With Parkinson’s Disease

General strategies

Parkinson’s disease (PD) differs from person to person—from age of onset to symptoms experienced to reactions to medications. However, there are common strategies that can help you live well with PD.

Strategies for living well may include:

Managing nutrition and medications—to enable the highest quality of daily living with PD
- Keep a medication diary so you can track symptoms that may be related to new medications or changes in dose
Getting involved in activities that may benefit you and your symptoms—hobbies, meditation, exercise
Connecting with the PD community and increasing your knowledge of the disease
Getting involved in advocacy, clinical trials, support groups, and educational conferences
Planning ahead to maximize adaptation to this disease on your own terms
Making living well at home and work a priority by using assistive technologies such as voice amplifiers and oversized keyboards
Drawing on the expertise of occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists, and nutritionists, when needed

Below are specific tips on how to cope with some common symptoms of the disease.

Coping Tips for Typical PD Symptoms
Fatigue	Find out what you can do about sleep and depression symptoms, which may contribute to fatigue Anti-PD medication dose adjustment may help
Cognitive impairment	If you are experiencing changes in your thinking or concentration, you may want to talk with your doctor about adjusting your dose(s) of medication(s) Seek neurologist or neuropsychiatrist evaluations for specific cognitive concerns See an occupational therapist for strategies for adapting to, and coping with, symptoms See a speech therapist for help with language difficulties
Depression	Ask your doctor about cognitive behavior therapy Antidepressants may help
Sleep disturbances	Ask your doctor about sleep medications or anti-PD medication dose adjustment for vivid dreams and other sleep disorders If excessive daytime sleepiness interferes with sleeping at night, discuss this with your doctor—there may be ways to address this problem
Speech problems	Ask about Lee Silverman Voice Technique (LSVT) Speech therapy developed specifically for people with PD Intensive program of exercising the voice Focuses on “thinking loud” in order to do all the things needed to speak forcefully—take a deep breath, articulate, and move the lips and jaw
Swallowing	Suck on hard candies (preferably sugarless) to stimulate swallowing and reduce pooled saliva—which results from less swallowing Your doctor may prescribe a drug to stimulate swallowing Your doctor may adjust your anti-PD medications to help with swallowing
Constipation (defined as <3 bowel movements/week)	Eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of fiber, including: Fruits Vegetables Legumes Bran Whole-grain bread (≥3 grams of fiber per serving) Drink 48 to 64 ounces of water and other fluids each day (milk can cause constipation in some people) Drink warm liquids, especially in the morning. For example, consider warming prune juice instead of drinking it cold Exercise daily Besides helping bowel function, exercise may have positive effects on mental function in people with PD If needed, use a very mild stool softener or laxative (such as Pericolace or Milk of Magnesia) Do not use laxatives for more than 2 weeks without calling your doctor because laxative overuse can worsen your symptoms