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Do you have PD? April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month

Courtesy Photo Keeping active is an important part of treating Parkinson’s disease. Above, Judy Poli, on left, poses with her bike at 2019 Michigander Bicycle Tour, which she has been participating in for the last 15 years with her lifelong friend Jane Rodgers, on right, who has Crohn’s disease. Poli was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2010 and continues to exercise regularly.

ALPENA — Living with Parkinson’s disease is a reality for roughly 35,000 people in Michigan, including Judy Poli of Alpena.

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, and Poli wants to remind folks that this disease may be affecting their loved ones or even themselves. Onset of symptoms is most prevalent in those 60 and older.

Poli was diagnosed in 2010 after she had what she thought might be a pulled muscle. It turned out to be resting Parkinson’s, which is a type of the disease in which tremors occur while sitting or resting for an extended period of time.

Poli said staying active is a huge part of slowing the disease’s progression.

“I was 66 when I was diagnosed,” Poli recalled. “I always have exercised. I’m still an avid exerciser.”

Poli has been able to continue doing the things she loves, such as riding her bike, cooking, baking and gardening.

“I have been very fortunate,” she said.

Many people are not able to continue with the activities they had previously enjoyed. It depends on the level of the disease.

“Support from family and friends is extremely important,” Poli added. “A lot a of people don’t have that luxury.”

Poli heads up the Alpena Area Parkinson’s Support Group, which normally meets once per month but has temporarily stopped meeting since the coronavirus pandemic stay-home orders have been in place.

Poli said in addition to staying active and having a support system, meeting regularly with a movement disorder doctor is essential to those with the disease. She said there are no movement disorder doctors currently in Alpena, but that with telemedicine available now, people should find one they can meet with remotely. She added that she was in a clinical trial for 18 months when she was first diagnosed, and she recommends that to anyone who might be diagnosed.

“In my opinion it helped me not to progress as rapidly,” Poli said of the trial, in which she was given coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), an antioxidant that supports cellular function.

She added that some cases are diagnosed earlier than age 60, but those are more rare.

“About 60 is when they usually start having symptoms,” she said. “But there is what they call early-onset Parkinson’s.”

She added that the famous actor Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with the early-onset disease when he was younger. Fox disclosed his diagnosis at age 29, according to https://www.michaeljfox.org/michaels-story. He founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

Poli added that if you suspect that you might be showing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, meet with your family doctor to confirm.

To learn more about Parkinson’s or to find a specialist, visit the Michigan Parkinson’s Foundation website at parkinsonsmich.org. Contact Poli at 989-370-6854.

Parkinson’s information

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease that involves the malfunction and death of vital nerve cells in the brain, called substantia nigra. Some of these dying neurons produce dopamine, a chemical that sends messages to the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination. Approximately a million people are living with PD in the U.S., and 60,000 are diagnosed each year.

Early signs of Parkinson’s disease include:

1. Small handwriting (micrographia) often looks cramped. Individual letters tend to be smaller than normal, and words are spaced closely.

2. Tremor is perhaps the most recognizable sign of Parkinson’s disease. A slight twitching or shaking of a finger, hand, or foot is common. The person experiencing the tremor is likely to be the only person who notices them in early stages of PD. The shaking will worsen and become noticeable to others as the condition progresses. The tremor is usually most noticeable at rest.

3. Sleeping can be an issue — tossing, turning and uncontrollable movements take on a new meaning when you have PD.

4. Stiffness of the limbs (rigidity) and slow movement (bradykinesia) are symptoms caused by the impairment of the neurons that control movement. A person with PD will notice jerkier motions and move in a more uncoordinated pattern than before. A person may develop the characteristic “shuffling gait.”

5. Changes in your voice. Your enunciation will most likely remain crystal clear early on in PD. People in early stages often speak in low tones, a hoarse voice, or with little inflection.

6. Masking is a common sign of early PD. People often comment that some individuals have a blank stare. The disease can make movement and control of small muscles in the face difficult. People with PD often blink less often as well.

7. Posture will change in small ways at first. The wide, uncontrolled, involuntary movements of PD don’t happen overnight. A stooped posture that can also be described as leaning and slouching is an early indicator. This posture has to do with the loss of coordination and balance affecting the body.

Parkinson’s disease is a serious and chronic condition. PD treatment is significantly more successful when the disease is caught in its earliest stages. Diagnosis can be difficult, as many of the signs are similar to those in other health conditions. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about your physical movement or behavior, or if something doesn’t feel right.

Many research articles document improvement in balance, confidence, and quality of life and reduced fall rates for persons with Parkinson’s disease when they are participating in an exercise program. Exercise needs to be a lifelong habit and the benefit fades if exercise stops.

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