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Example research essay topic: Parkinsons Disease And Massage - 1,667 words

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Parkinsons disease and Massage Parkinsons disease (PD) is a disorder of central nervous system. This disease has neurodegenerative character and involves biochemical collapse of the dopamine-producing neurons in the area of basal ganglia in the brain. This process causes progressive movement disorder and damages functioning of extra pyramidal system of human body, where the connection between muscles and neurons of the brain is established. The disease was named after physician James Parkinson, who described its symptoms and specific details in his work Essay on the Shaking Palsy (1917).

Characteristic physical symptoms of PD are: rigidity in face and tremors in hands, bradykinesia (slow movements), amnesia (inability to start movements), hypophonia (problems with speaking), extreme tiresome and weakness in muscles, lack of balance and poor coordination abilities, slowness in speech and breathing, unconscious closure of an eye, constipation, difficulties in swallowing, etc. Psychological and sensory signs are memory losses, cognitive disturbances, depression (it happens in every second case), sleep disturbances, anosmia (poor sense of smell), contrast sensitivity or other disturbances of sensory system, dizziness, and others. In some complicated situations PD carriers may demonstrate more difficult psychological symptoms, like panic attacks, anxiety and dementia, along with failures of functioning of bowel and bladder. As a rule, symptoms progress gradually and slowly.

Incidence of PD in the United States is approximately 1 per 625 persons, or about 500, 000 people. Annually about 50, 000 new cases of PD are registered in our country. PD affects men slightly more than women, mostly after age 55 - 60. The probability to suffer from PD is growing with age, as statistic indicates: only 10 % of people with PD are under age 45 - 55 and more than 30 % of people with PD are above 75 - 80 (CNC Medical Library, 2001).

In many cases symptoms of PD are shown as one-sided or asymmetrical, but not always. PD has a range of related diseases, called Parkinson-Plus diseases, which include Secondary Parkinsonism, Progressive Supra nuclear Palsy, Shy-Driver Syndrome, Striatonigral Degeneration, Corticobasal Degeneration, Olivopontocerebellar Degeneration, and others. Interesting, that the diseases from PD group are less common in big cities and urban territories, at the same time they are much more spread in Europe, less spread in Asia and Far East, and rather rare in African continent due to resistive ancestry. PD is caused by the lack of so called neurotransmitter dopamine (brain chemical), which controls movements and muscle activity of a person. Therefore, the main reason of developing of PD in human organism is the loss of specific brain cells, which can produce such neurotransmitter.

This damage can take place as a result of heredity, heroin abuse, or, mostly, aging. Medical causes of such malfunction of brain cells remain unknown. Thus, principal risk factor of PD is oldness, which causes damages of brain structure. There are also some additional factors, like frequent usage of some tranquilizers, some drugs with aluminum, inorganic iron, carbon monoxide, or other chemicals, long-term exposure to environmental toxins and harmful chemicals, drug usage, etc, which can provoke early symptoms of the diseases from PD group. There is no special medical test, which can directly identify PD, although some lab tests may help to exclude the probability of wrong diagnosis. To diagnose this disease doctors have to carefully examine medical history, to interview patient and his / her family, and to support their hypothesis with usual medical tests, like blood pressure test, genetic test, brain scans (to check out activity of dopamine cells), X-rays, etc.

As a rule, above mentioned signs of PD start appearing when 60 - 80 % of dopaminergic cells are lost. Within the time, the level of dopamine in the brain will go on decreasing; this will bring to damage of principal functions of human body and affect abilities and senses of the person. In order to avoid complications, individuals with PD require a lot of care and attention, which must be focused on maintaining of emotional balance, stability and proper self-perception, and on avoiding worsening of the disease by attacks of Parkinson-related depression. There is no objective and radical cure for the group of PD.

There are several opportunities of treatment, which can be recommended by medical specialists in every special case of PD. Drug therapy, herbal therapy, exercise, massage, bodywork or other physical therapies, nutrition and special diets, acupuncture, yoga or other alternative therapies are available and can bring to some positive results. But, unfortunately, PD can not be cured completely, and within the time organism gets adapted for chosen particular treatment and the effectiveness of such treatment starts decreasing. Drug therapy can be employed for improvements in two directions. Firstly, drug treatment is directed on compensating lack of dopamine with L-dopa (levodopa) or dopamine simulators like pramipexole, peroxide, bromocriptine, etc. But such therapy is usually accompanied with unpleasant and dangerous side-effects, like nausea, vomiting, hypotension, visual hallucinations, jerky movements, or others.

That is why long lasting drug treatment can bring to serious neurotic or psychotic disturbances. Besides, drug treatment can be used to fight against extra anxiety and depressions, which frequently become very bothering for individuals suffering from PD. In many cases using antidepressants and tranquilizers is strictly recommended by therapists. Other therapies are also effective treatment for PD. Herbal therapy can be implemented as using dried, alcohol or glycerin extracts of different herbs, first of all, Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), Gotu kola (Cent ella asiatica) or Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyny).

Homeopathy can be helpful as the therapy, which helps to increase content of Causticum, Plumbum metallic, Zin cum metallic, Argentum nitric um in organism of an individual with PD. Rich and correct nutrition is extremely important. People with PD have to control the amount of proteins in their food, but such elements, like fatty and amino acids, vitamins C, B and B 6, choline and glutathione, which stimulate function of the brains, must be always present in food intake of PD carriers. One more effective form of treatment individuals with PD is bodywork, including exercise, massage, yoga, and other techniques. Manual therapy is one of the safest and most reliable methods of treatment.

It helps to relieve tension in muscles, improves circulation of blood and blood pressure, improves functioning of lymph system, helps healing injures of soft tissues and eases pain. In special cases of PD massage becomes very effective due to its efficiency in muscle relaxation, relieve of muscle tension, prevention of muscle spasms and cramps, effectiveness for improving blood circulation processes. For PD carriers manual therapy must be soft and light, massage program must include smooth and rhythmic types of massage, relaxing and soothing the muscles of the patients. The main contraindications for employing manual therapy are problems with blood circulation, high pressure or troubles with heart. Besides, massage may not be recommended for those PD carriers, who had recent bone fractures or injuries. Finally, massage may not be suggested for patients with cancer, because fastened blood circulation may create favorable environment for cancer to expand.

The other contraindications for massage are skin damages, allergic reactions, wounds or large burns on skin, infections, severe forms of diabetes and problems with joints. According to a recent research, conducted by the Touch Research Institute in Miami, it is evident that symptoms of PD are reducing after manual therapy and muscle exercises. During the 5 week research 16 PD carriers were treated twice a week with 30 minutes of massage and progressive muscle relaxation exercises (like tightening and relaxing, etc. ). By the end of the session patients reported about serious improvement in daily functioning, decrease of sleep disturbances, and medical specialists of the Institute discovered fall of stress-hormone levels of all the patients. "These findings suggest that progressive muscle relaxation exercises may increase dopamine levels, which have been associated with both a progression of the disease and a slowing of the disease, " researchers commented. (Hernandez-Reif M. July, 2002) Massage is a very effective tool for all the disorders, connected with muscle-skeletal system, including PD. It is very important to select a qualified and well-experienced massage therapist, who can offer several types of manual therapy and find out the most efficient for particular cases.

If massage is applied correctly and in moderate doses, the symptoms of PD will soon begin going less critical, and patients will feel more relaxed, more comfortable, more energetic, calmer and morally healthier. The other types of bodywork can be applied depending on the specific characteristics of every case. Many therapists recommend doing regular daily exercises, which will help to develop better mobility, improve motor function and blood circulation. Yoga and meditation may help to improve daily mood and inner condition of a PD carrier; these treatments are useful when fighting with depressions and melancholy.

Acupuncture is a very good treatment for tremors and shaking. PD is one of rather spread diseases; it does not cause death by itself, but can result in lethal forms of pneumonia or aspiration pneumonia. Some people live with PD for about 30 years. There are many famous people, who are sick with PD and who try to pay attention of the society on problems of PD carriers. The most famous sufferer of PD is Michel J.

Fox, who was discovered to have PD in very early age of 30. Worldwide known politicians Adolph Hitler and Mao Zedong, recently deceased Pope John Paul II, also Mohammed Ali, Salvador Dali, actors Jim Backus and Edward Winter, and many others were among PD carriers. Bibliography: Hernandez-Reif, M. & others. (2002, July). Massage Reduces the Symptoms of Parkinsons Disease. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 177 - 182. Parkinsons Disease. (2001).

CNC Medical Library. Medical Library of Dr. Josef S. Smith. Retrieved August 18, 2005, from < web >. Parkinsons Disease. (1999, August).

University of Maryland. Medical Center. Retrieved August 18, 2005, from the World Wide Web: < web >. Parkinsons Disease. (2005, August 17). Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia Online.

Retrieved August 18, 2005, from the World Wide Web: < web >.


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