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Parkinson’s Disease Gut Connection

September 5, 2017 By Kelsey Krebs Hanlon, PT, DPT Leave a Comment

Updated Research on Parkinson’s Disease and the Gut Connection

Parkinson’s Disease affects millions of Americans, but scientists have yet to fully understand what causes a person to develop the disease. Currently, it is believed that a combination of genetic and environmental factors contribute to the risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease. It is known that clumps, or plaques, of the protein alpha-synuclein, are found in the brains of people who have PD. Serious research is being conducted on “How” and “Why” these plaques develop and whether they are a cause or result of the disease process, as well as the potential role of alpha-synuclein as a biomarker for the disease.

In addition to the four major symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease; tremor, bradykinesia (slow movement), muscle rigidity and poor balance, there are many non-motor symptoms that people experience which can often appear prior to the development of motor symptoms. Constipation is one of these symptoms. Researchers have discovered alterations in the digestive system of people with Parkinson’s Disease that may lead to earlier diagnoses.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation has been funding a research project that is investigating the link between alterations in Gut Bacteria and Parkinson’s Disease. Alpha-synuclein is found naturally in the gut, and the hypothesis is that its aggregation could begin there and enter the CNS through the nervous system of the digestive tract.

Recent research published in Movement Disorders demonstrated that there were differences in the number of bacteria between healthy volunteers and people with Parkinson’s Disease. Researchers also discovered that people in different geographical locations (the study looked at Seattle, New York, and Atlanta) had different types of bacteria in their gut. Since the bacteria in the gut are responsible for eliminating toxins, and environmental toxins have been proposed to contribute to the development of Parkinson’s Disease, this finding suggests that the chemistry of the GI tract may be an important predictor of who may develop Parkinson’s Disease and also paves the way for new treatment mechanisms.

Research is ongoing, with frequent new discoveries. Wendy Webb Schoenwald Physical Therapy and Vestibular Rehabilitation staff will continue to blog and inform about Parkinson’s research. You may also visit the Michael J. Fox Foundation’s website at michaeljfox.org or The National Parkinson Foundation’s site at parkinson.org for updates on research findings.

Pain In Our Brain – Injury & Pain Do Not Align

July 20, 2017 By Kelsey Krebs Hanlon, PT, DPT Leave a Comment

Why the Degree of Injury and Degree of Pain Do Not Always Align

College basketball fans won’t easily forget March 31, 2017, when University of Louisville sophomore Kevin Ware suffered a gruesome leg injury on National Television. But perhaps the most surprising part of the injury was that Ware reported no pain, was able to call his mother and tell her he was “fine”, and followed the score of the game on the way to the hospital.

This story is an example of how the degree of injury and degree of pain are not always equal. This is because pain is an output from the brain, and is much more complex than simply correlating with anatomical tissue damage. The brain directs pain to tissues that it suspects are in danger, although sometimes it is incorrect in its assumptions.

Pain in the Btain

Pain is useful for helping protect damaged tissues, but problems arise in situations where there is no longer tissue damage but the brain is still sending out a pain signal. This contributes to chronic pain, which is pain that has been present for longer than 3 months, which is the time typically required for tissue repair to occur.

In situations with chronic pain, it is sometimes necessary to work through the pain to rewire the brain’s pathways. This can be a difficult concept for a patient to grasp, as they have to learn that they cannot trust what the pain is telling them and that pain is “OK.” Your Physical Therapist can work with you and support you to use movement in order to desensitize your nervous system and improve your function through a specific Physical Therapy treatment plan.

Recent Guidelines for the Treatment of Tinnitus

August 26, 2016 By Wendy Webb Schoenewald, PT, OCS Leave a Comment

In a vestibular clinic like WWSPT, complaints of Tinnitus or ringing in the ears is familiar with our patients. But in the general population of the US, only 9.6% of adults have experienced tinnitus in the past 12 months. Twenty-seven percent of these patients have had symptoms for 15 years, and one-third of those have persistent symptoms. Tinnitus can be related to patient’s exposure to loud noises at work or during leisure activities though there is not always an apparent cause. Only half of these patients discuss tinnitus with their primary physicians.

My Ears are ringing

A recent paper published by the American Academy of Otolaryngology (AAO) reformulated guidelines in the treatment of tinnitus, it is acknowledged that most doctors prescribe medication including antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and intratympanic medicines even though this is against the new guidelines. The AAO guidelines do not recommend medication or supplement therapies due to lack of evidence for benefit. They do recommend hearing aids which can also include a tinnitus masker, a device that delivers sound therapy to mask the sounds for the patient. The other evidence-based recommendation is cognitive-based therapy since there is a high prevalence of depression, anxiety and sleep disorders associated with tinnitus, by addressing these comorbidities and exacerbating conditions we can improve the quality of life without specifically focusing on reducing tinnitus.

Most of us would like a simple” pill” as the first treatment for the ringing or buzz in the ears, but tinnitus is one example that appears to have evidence of better response to other therapies.

Vertigo and BPPV

March 16, 2016 By Wendy Webb Schoenewald, PT, OCS Leave a Comment

Many of the ailments that plague older adults can be managed but not cured. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is a different story. It is a peripheral Vestibular disorder involving the inner ear that causes spells of vertigo typically lasting less than one minute, when the head is in certain head positions. Vertigo is defined as an illusion of movement or sense of spinning. In BPPV, vertigo is brief, lasting only a few seconds. The vertigo goes away in a few sec-onds to a minute if you don’t move your head. Vertigo occurs most commonly in the morning when you sit up or turn over in bed. BPPV can lead to chronic imbalance if not treated.

BPPV

Vertigo can be terrifying and/or tormenting. Many symptoms can be attributed to the vestibular system, such as: Vertigo or spinning, motion triggered dizziness, feeling off-balance, lightheadedness. The most common form of Vertigo can be quickly treated with the Epley Maneuver. Surprisingly, many doctors remain unfamiliar with the maneuver.

Vestibular rehab is an exercise approach provided by a Certified Vestibular Physical Therapist for Inner Ear disorders and Balance disorders that affect people in their daily lives. Watch the video below to see the use of Epley Maneuver to treat BPPV Vertigo. When the vertigo comes back months or years later, as it tends to do, it can be vanquished again.

Check out this recent article on “An Easy fix for Vertigo” via New York Times Health.

Do You Suffer From Dizziness?

February 20, 2016 By Wendy Webb Schoenewald, PT, OCS Leave a Comment

Relieving Vertigo Symptoms Through Physical Therapy Treatment

People who have vertigo and are suffering from symptoms of dizziness, nausea, loss of balance, and vomiting may not know that there is a onetime treatment that can cure those symptoms and allow them to return to a normal life. Physical therapists expertly trained in vestibular therapy can perform a single maneuver on patients experiencing these symptoms that 80% of the time will eliminate the vertigo. Benign Paroxysmal

BPPVanDizziness

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, or BPPV, is a peripheral vestibular disorder involving the inner ear that causes spells of vertigo that typically last less than one minute, when the head is in certain positions. The onset of vertigo can cause dizziness, making the patient feel off balance, and sometimes can induce nausea and vomiting. Common everyday tasks, like doing sit-ups, reaching for a kitchen cabinet, or bending over to pick something up can cause an episode. This can mean patients avoid doing things they love, like working out. For elderly patients, untreated vertigo can mean a loss of mobility and independence because they may be afraid that moving around could cause them to fall. For this reason, it is very important that patients be treated immediately.

Read the full article about Wendy Schoenewald, PT, OCS and WWS Physical Therapy in the Bucks County Women’s Journal February/March 2016

Parkinson’s Disease Gut Connection

Pain In Our Brain – Injury & Pain Do Not Align

Recent Guidelines for the Treatment of Tinnitus

Vertigo and BPPV

Do You Suffer From Dizziness?

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Our Mission at WWSPT

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Contact WWS Physical Therapy

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