Product Description

In recent years, new treatments have vastly improved the lives of people with Parkinson's disease, substantially reducing symptoms and significantly delaying disability. Maintaining good quality of life with Parkinson's disease means understanding the disorder, developing effective coping skills, and making educated choices among an array of treatment options.

Written by leading authorities on movement and neurological disorders, this comprehensive book provides up-to-date information on symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and management of Parkinson's disease to help people cope with medical, emotional, and practical challenges. Texts, illustrations, and tables provide detailed information on the use of medications as well as diet, exercise, and complementary therapies and surgery.

Topics include:

• Symptoms of Parkinson's disease and related movement disorders

• Q& A section addressing the most commonly asked questions

• Drug treatments

• Diet, exercise, and complementary therapies

• New surgical therapies

• The practical issues of insurance, employment, health care choices, and coping

• Information on medication side effects

Parkinson's Disease: A Complete Guide for Patients and Families helps those who are living with Parkinson's disease make healthy adjustments to profound life changes, develop expertise in self-monitoring and self-management, and become effective partners in shared decision making with family members and medical professionals.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1688708 in Books
• Published on: 2001-04-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

From Publishers Weekly
As a result of actor Michael J. Fox's disclosure that he has Parkinson's disease, public discussion about both the symptoms and treatment of this illness has heightened. This attention is important, according to these authors, all specialists in the treatment of Parkinson's and other neurological disorders, because it is a progressive, chronic disease whose symptoms including trembling, uneasy gait and loss of dexterity mimic those of other diseases, which can often lead to misdiagnosis. One of the most frustrating aspects of Parkinson's is that it manifests itself differently in each of its victims, which makes coping with this disease particularly challenging. Nonetheless, what is most important, aver the authors, is that both Parkinson's patients and their families have access to the most up-to-date treatment including new drugs, surgery and other therapies (diet, speech therapy, acupuncture), and with compassionate, clear writing, they provide an excellent overview. Leaving no stone unturned, Weiner, Shulman and Lang also advise patients about less clinical but equally important matters such as dealing with health insurance companies and informing employers. Particularly useful for readers are the Q&A section and a comprehensive resource directory. Obtaining an accurate diagnosis is the first step, after which patients and their loved ones will find this practical guide the perfect complement to a physician's care. Illus.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Parkinson's disease affects over one million Americans and has recently has received notoriety thanks to actor Michael J. Fox's diagnosis. Weiner, director of Maryland Parkinson's Disease Center, presents known facts and clarification about this degenerative neurological disease. Physical, behavioral, and psychiatric signs and symptoms exhibited during mild, moderate, and advanced stages of the disease are examined, as are diseases that can mimic Parkinson's. The author emphasizes the questions patients should ask and the tests they should undergo before a diagnosis is made, and he outlines drug and surgical treatments, including alternative and complementary therapies. Somewhat clinical in tone, this title is more comprehensive than the American College of Physicians' Parkinson's Disease (DK, 2000), but it is not as effective as Caring for the Parkinson Patient, 2d ed., edited by J. Thomas Hutton and Raye Lynne Dippel (Prometheus, 1999), in providing information on daily coping skills and psychological adjustment to the disease. Still, the guide is excellent for its current medical and research information for the newly diagnosed. Janet M. Schneider, James A. Haley Veterans' Hosp., Tampa, FL
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Since the effects of Parkinson's disease differ from patient to patient, treatment and assistance programs must be personalized. This guide aims at making patients and families effective decision-making partners with their physicians. What causes Parkinson's remains unknown, but the symptoms and signs that mark it are known and explained here. Early, moderate, and advanced parkinsonisms are clearly presented, despite the fact that diagnosis of them can be difficult; and various tests, including some of the quite promising newer ones, are detailed. Current treatments are outlined; various drugs and their side effects are discussed; and the roles of surgery and hospitalization in treatment are described. Illustrations are clear and helpful, and research projects are noted. Throughout, the book's tone is realistically optimistic. William Beatty
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