Medical Health Encyclopedia

Reducing Muscle Freezing. The patient should practice regular daily activities that simplify actions and reduce the incidence of muscle freezing. Most often, freezing occurs when a patient begins to move or is presented with an obstacle. Walkers do not appear to be helpful for freezing. The following may be helpful.

• Rock from side to side.
• If the legs feel frozen, lift the toes. This simple action may free spasm in some cases.
• Hum marching tunes. In fact, music has been shown to help people move and to get out of bed in the morning. Some report that wearing a Walkman and turning music on in situations associated with freezing, such as crossing a street, is helpful.
• Divide actions into separate events, which may prevent freezing that occurs from trying to coordinate too many physical operations at one time. For instance, when going through a doorway, approach the door, stop at the door, open it, stop, and then walk through the doorway.
• A cane equipped with a laser pointer may be helpful, at least temporarily.
• Simply being touched by another person can sometimes release the patient (although a Parkinson's patient should never be pulled or pushed).

Sleep Deprivation Therapy. Sleep deprivation therapy may have a role in treating some cases of depression and some studies are finding some benefits on the depression, tremor, and rigidity experienced by Parkinson's patients. Scientists believe that sleep deprivation produces certain anticholinergic effects, which may ameliorate both depression and Parkinson's symptoms.

Alexander Technique. The Alexander technique is a method that trains a person to change movement habits in order to release tension and improve balance. A 2002 study reported that it may have sustained benefits for patients with PD.

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Mental Tasks. Mental training may actually increase dopamine in the brain. And some studies indicate that being mentally fit may be as important for PD patients as being physically fit. Helpful approaches may include the following:

• Select and learn new hobbies that require finger and hand mobility, such as sewing, carpentry, fishing, or playing cards.
• Practice deep breathing and relaxation exercises. These may help maintain proper speech control, control tremor, and reduce anxiety.
• Both the patient and any caregivers should consider psychologic therapy and support for depression and loss of motivation. (One study suggests that marital stress can even produce loss of mobility.) Even if psychological therapy is too costly, inexpensive support programs and groups are widely available and can be invaluable for the patient and the family.