Story and Photo by Deb Hill
Central Montana Medical Center (CMMC) now offers the full Parkinson’s Disease treatment protocol known as LSVT Big and Loud, which is backed by over thirty years of research. The intensive protocol works to improve movement and speech in patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s and similar neurological conditions. Parkinson’s Disease is a degenerative disorder that affects the dopamine-producing neurons in an area of the brain called the substantial nigra, resulting in issues with tremors, freezing gait, impaired balance, trouble with fine motor tasks such as writing, buttoning, and soft, monotone mumbled speech.
Three therapists in CMMC’s rehab department are now certified to treat Parkinson’s issues through the Big and Loud programs: Physical Therapist Amanda Grove, Occupational Therapist Amanda DeAngelo and Speech Therapist Mackenzie Brown. The three are aided by PT Assistant Sherry Berg.
“It’s somewhat of a perception issue,” Brown, who runs the Loud portion of the program, explains what happens to a person’s ability to speak under the impact of Parkinson’s. “They don’t know they’re not projecting. They think they’re talking normally but they’re actually speaking very softly and indistinctly. The program helps them recalibrate by over-exaggerating speech, like yelling.” After four weeks of intensive work, Brown said many patients find speech is measurably improved.
The Big portion of the program works similarly. By working with patients through physical and occupational therapy focused on exaggerated movements, therapists can see useful progress in walking and other daily activities. “We dial everything up until they get it, then we dial it back down,” DeAngelo said.
“It’s sixty minute sessions, four days a week for four weeks,” said Grove. “Because it’s so intensive, we need a commitment from the family in addition to the patient.”
The two programs can be combined if the patient can tolerate that level of therapy, with an hour of Big and an hour of Loud each day. It is most effective with patients in the early to middle stages of Parkinson’s.
About one million people in the U.S. suffer with Parkinson’s Disease. The cause is unknown, but head injuries and chemical exposures, especially to some types of pesticides and herbicides, are suspect.
For more information on the LSVT Big and Loud programs, contact CMMC rehab at (406) 535-5157.