“I have found something which you might not know about. As a Parkinson’s sufferer, I suffer from really nasty cramps. I am using a natural product called Cramp Stop. It is sprayed under the tongue at the first sign of cramp and works instantly—MAGIC.”
—MARIE J., PWP
The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease may cause you to feel tightness, pain, and weakness, especially in the muscles and joints. The first thing you should do is figure out whether there may be other causes for your pain, such as arthritis. Talking to your doctor can help you determine this.
Back pain often occurs because of the strain placed on your back from a stooped posture, which is common in people with Parkinson’s. If you do experience pain in your limbs or back, it will probably appear along with other more typical symptoms of PD, like tremor and slowness.
If your pain does accompany your other PD symptoms and improves when these are improved by your PD medications, then you should talk to your doctor about adjusting the dosage or frequency of your PD medications. The treatment for pain caused by PD is most often the same as the treatment for motor symptoms of PD.
Pain caused by cramping can be a sign of a recent increase in activity, and in this case the pain usually goes away after the activity becomes more routine. Muscle cramping can also occur at night and as your medications are wearing off.
Standard protocol for treating cramping includes exercise, massage, stretching, and heat (e.g., heating pad, Epsom salt baths). Keeping hydrated at all times can also help limit or prevent cramping. Additionally, you can try consuming more turmeric, found in yellow mustard or as a stand-alone spice, and tonic water, which contains quinine. Both turmeric and quinine are said to help relieve cramping. If none of these techniques work, you will probably need to talk to your doctor. He or she may have additional tips or tricks that are effective or prescribe anti-cramping medications.
Toe cramping is a problem Mom had pretty frequently. She especially experienced this in the shower, but it could happen anywhere. The solution she found to stop the cramping was actually quite simple. She would look down at her toes, concentrate, and tell them to uncramp. It sounds simple, yet it really worked.
An option to help alleviate pain from Parkinson’s is physical therapy. Physical therapy can enable you to compensate for the changes in your body resulting from the disease. Physical therapists specialize in helping you strengthen weak muscles and stretch tight ones. They also teach exercises that you can do at home, along with their proper form so that you do not get injured. Physical therapy can be tremendously beneficial in improving your quality of life as it addresses balance and coordination problems, mobility, functional movements, and strength. It can also help reduce your fatigue.
If you are starting a physical therapy program and have a DBS (deep brain stimulation) implant, make sure you inform your doctor. He or she may need to alter your physical therapy treatment plan (i.e., avoid the use of diathermy and electrical stimulation for pain relief) so as not to cause any complications with your device.
Remember to check with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medications to help with cramping. Though many anti-cramping products contain essential minerals, some have added ingredients that could interfere with your specific Parkinson’s medications.