Will Far Infrared Thermal Massaging Therapy help?

[sarit]

My wife (62) is suffering from PD (early stage) and taking Rasalect 1mg per day and Pacitane 2mg - twice a day.My brother has a Far Infrared Thermal Massager Bed (of CERAGEM). Will taking that Thermal Massage be bad for her? Or, that may soften her stiffness?

[soup]

I am confused about your wife's medication as there is one standard PD drug, the Rasalect which we know as Azilect. However the other drug, Pacitane, is not often prescribed at this stage of Parkinson's. Did she have trouble with tolerating L Dopa meds such as Madopar or Sinemet? These are usually good for stiffness due to Parkinson's. If she has not tried either of those two, rather than exploring heat treatment which might leave her tired in my experience, go back to the Parkinson's consultant and ask about the logic behind his/her prescribing and about changing the meds.

Here is a link to the medications document produced by Parkinson's UK and might help you to get a better idea of what each drug does. parkinsons.org.uk/content/d...

Where in the world are you? My drugs search gave quite a few Indian Pharmacological sites.

[sarit]

I am from India.

Our Doctor wrote : It is Idiopathic PD.

He also had written : "Minimal Functional Impairment. ==>Can use L. Dopa later". .... May be, L.Dopa is a stronger drug and he wanted to preserve that for future use....

I read elsewhere that Exercise - and, vigorous exercise (within tolerable limits) is good for PD. So, "leave her tired" may not cause problem. I wanted to know whether, FIR going into the body may have any adverse effect inside!

Regards

[soup in reply to sarit]

Please look at the section on anticholinergic drugs on the link I gave you. They are sometimes used to get rid of the stiffness but out of favour in the UK. If it was working perhaps there wouldn't be a problem but your wife is still stiff and it might be that something like a dopamine agonist would be a good step. I know there are side effects for some people but it might be the answer to the stiffness that she needs. Ask the clinicians..

[movinngroovin]

It should make her muscles feel really relaxed and it is a detoxifier--start slow--see how it goes. It cannot hurt her that I know of-I have used my infrared booth for years!

[sarit]

Thank you Soup, I shall surely consult the clinicians the next time I take my wife to them.

And, Movinngroovin, thank you too for assuring that FIR will not do any harm.