Connect
← Return to Parkinson's: Do incentive spirometers help improve breathing?
Discussion
Parkinson's: Do incentive spirometers help improve breathing?
Parkinson's Disease | Last Active: Sep 6, 2021 | Replies (5)Comment receiving replies
Hello @mariew and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm glad to see that you are advocating and seeking help for your mom. Parkinson's is a brain disorder and it affects so many areas of our body including breathing and swallowing. I have been diagnosed with Parkinson's for several years myself and I know that it has affected so many of my bodily systems, including breathing, swallowing and speech.
You do not mention how long your mom has had Parkinson's nor her age. I'm wondering what her breathing is like? Does she have trouble swallowing as well? Also, I'm wondering if she has been evaluated by an otolaryngologist (an ENT doctor who specializes in vocal cord disorders) and if she has been evaluated by a pulmonologist? Does she have speech problems as well?
I know these seem like a lot of questions, however, they can help others who have Parkinson's relate and perhaps join this discussion and offer suggestions.
Will you post a bit more as you feel comfortable doing so?
Replies to "Hello @mariew and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm glad to see that you are advocating..."
Connect
Sure!
Mom is 87 years old. She's had Parkinsons for a long time. She developed a chin quiver about 30 years ago, but no other symptoms. Now she cannot function mentally and physically without the right dose of levadopa/carbadopa. I am a physical therapist and I have been having her do balance and strength training with me for many years and that is going well. Recently the volume of her voice has gotten soft. She just started speech therapy for speaking louder and clearer. I noticed that she doesn't take a deep breath before speaking. I think she'd be really motivated to "make the ball or bar go higher" if she could have a visual cue for how to increase her breath volume. I'm just not sure if working on inspiration or exhalation has the most gains. (She doesn't have any swallowing issues at present)