This condition occurs when dopamine, a neurotransmitter, decreases in the brain, affecting the part that controls the body’s movement and balance. The symptoms are resting tremors, bradykinesia (slow movement), or rigidity (resistance to rotation, extension, and flexion). Other symptoms that may be present are fixed posture, loss of postural reflexes, and freezing phenomenon, a sudden, involuntary cessation of movement.
Parkinson’s is a condition that progressively gets worse over time. Everyone is different, so how fast the condition progresses does vary. There is no cure for Parkinson’s, though it can be managed with medications that are prescribed by the doctor.
The reason why someone may develop Parkinson’s is if they’ve had several head injuries or strokes, toxin exposure, side effects of some drugs, and other brain pathologies such as tumors.
Massage is only able to treat the secondary symptoms of the condition. For the massage, the positioning is done to what is comfortable for the client as well as to maintain posture as best as possible.
During the massage, it is done in the context of a relaxation massage to decrease pain and swelling, and maintain tissue health. Doing this can also temporarily stop resting tremors for a short amount of time. Once the pain has decreased, either in general or during the same session, treatment of constipation, rib mobility (through the use of rib springing and rotations of the trunk of the body), and postural imbalances or changes. Lastly, the diaphragm, contractures, and any rigidity are treated, as these can be a bit more uncomfortable to be treated.