<p> “There are times when I cannot even get up from the sofa. I just sit there willing myself to get up but the pain is so much that I cannot even move a limb,” said B Gopinath. A retired BSNL official, Gopinath has been suffering from Parkinson’s for 11 years now.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Speaking at an event organised to observe World Parkinson’s Day on Sunday, Gopinath had a chance to talk about the disease which afflicts between seven million and 10 million people around the world. As Gopinath said, the disease’s most dehumanising trait is its ability to reduce daily activities to the most painful of chores. Doctors and the experts in the field spoke about the importance of regular exercising and other methods instrumental in coping with the disease. “Most patients with Parkinson’s have speech problems. Either they speak too fast or they speak too slowly. Also the pitch of their voice is never constant. Sometimes it’s almost impossible to hear them and sometimes they are very loud,” explained Dr N Shivashankar, a Professor in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at Nimhans.<br /><br />Another speaker, physiotherapist Aarti Prasad also spoke about practising Tai Chi to ease the body pain that comes with the disease. <br /><br />Doctors and patients emphasised the crucial role of the family in helping sufferers adjust. Venkat, a 53-year-old businessman who was forced to stay at home because of the disease, explained that it would not have been possible for him to cope if not for the support of his wife. “It is only because of my wife that I get the courage to even try and walk,” he said. <br /><br />Nimhans gets at least seven to eight patients a week for Parkinson’s. According to Dr Pramod Pal, Professor of Neurology, Nimhans, there have been recent advancements with Deep Brain Simulation (DBS) surgery being one of the most effective methods in the treatment of the disease. “DBS is a surgical treatment involving the implantation of a medical device called a brain pacemaker which sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the brain,” he said. <br /><br />He explained that though many patients want to undergo the surgery, it is recommended only for a certain type of patients. “The surgery is only for patients who have had Parkinson’s for about five years and are responding to medication — which do have some side-effects. Surgery is a good option for such patients,” he said.The most common symptom of the disease are shaking hands, slow movement and a difficulty in walking. The event was organised by the Department of Neurology and neurosurgery, Nimhans and the Parkinson’s Disease Society of Karnataka. </p>
<p> “There are times when I cannot even get up from the sofa. I just sit there willing myself to get up but the pain is so much that I cannot even move a limb,” said B Gopinath. A retired BSNL official, Gopinath has been suffering from Parkinson’s for 11 years now.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Speaking at an event organised to observe World Parkinson’s Day on Sunday, Gopinath had a chance to talk about the disease which afflicts between seven million and 10 million people around the world. As Gopinath said, the disease’s most dehumanising trait is its ability to reduce daily activities to the most painful of chores. Doctors and the experts in the field spoke about the importance of regular exercising and other methods instrumental in coping with the disease. “Most patients with Parkinson’s have speech problems. Either they speak too fast or they speak too slowly. Also the pitch of their voice is never constant. Sometimes it’s almost impossible to hear them and sometimes they are very loud,” explained Dr N Shivashankar, a Professor in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at Nimhans.<br /><br />Another speaker, physiotherapist Aarti Prasad also spoke about practising Tai Chi to ease the body pain that comes with the disease. <br /><br />Doctors and patients emphasised the crucial role of the family in helping sufferers adjust. Venkat, a 53-year-old businessman who was forced to stay at home because of the disease, explained that it would not have been possible for him to cope if not for the support of his wife. “It is only because of my wife that I get the courage to even try and walk,” he said. <br /><br />Nimhans gets at least seven to eight patients a week for Parkinson’s. According to Dr Pramod Pal, Professor of Neurology, Nimhans, there have been recent advancements with Deep Brain Simulation (DBS) surgery being one of the most effective methods in the treatment of the disease. “DBS is a surgical treatment involving the implantation of a medical device called a brain pacemaker which sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the brain,” he said. <br /><br />He explained that though many patients want to undergo the surgery, it is recommended only for a certain type of patients. “The surgery is only for patients who have had Parkinson’s for about five years and are responding to medication — which do have some side-effects. Surgery is a good option for such patients,” he said.The most common symptom of the disease are shaking hands, slow movement and a difficulty in walking. The event was organised by the Department of Neurology and neurosurgery, Nimhans and the Parkinson’s Disease Society of Karnataka. </p>
