Page 3294 - Week 10 - Thursday, 16 September 1993
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WHILE THERE IS NO KNOWN CURE FOR PARKINSONS DISEASE RESEARCH GAINS OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIAL, RESULTING IN IMPROVED MEDICATION AND THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES FOR MANAGING EARLY SYMPTOMS AND DELAYING THE ONSET OF SERIOUS DISABILITY.
CURRENTLY RESEARCH IS BEING UNDERTAKEN INTO NEURO-PROTECTIVE AND PREVENTATIVE THERAPIES, IMPROVED DRUG TREATMENTS AND NEW DIAGNOSTIC INTERVENTIONS.
IN ORDER TO GET THE FULL BENEFIT OF NEW AND EXISTING THERAPIES, AN EARLY AND ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS IS VERY IMPORTANT
EARLY SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE MAY INCLUDE SUBTLE CHANGES IN PERSONALITY, SLIGHT DEPRESSION AND TIREDNESS, MILD SLOWING, CHANGES IN HAND WRITING AND CO-ORDINATION, FEELING OF WEAKNESS OR NON SPECIFIC PAIN, LOSS OF THE SENSE OF SMELL, STIFF POSTURE AND MUFFLED SPEECH.
ONCE THE PATIENT HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS HAVING EARLY SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE, MANAGEMENT OF THE DISEASE WILL INCLUDE A PROCESS OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY SUPPORT.
THE GENERAL PRACTITIONER WILL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PROVIDING REGULAR PATIENT FOLLOW UP AND SUPPORT, AND WILL CO-ORDINATE THE OVERALL CARE OF THE PATIENT.
SPECIALIST MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE AREAS OF NEUROLOGY, REHABILITATION AND GERIATRICS, COMBINED WITH SERVICES PROVIDED BY PHYSIOTHERAPISTS, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS, SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, PSYCHOLOGISTS AND NURSING STAFF WILL PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO MANAGEMENT OF THE DISEASE.
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