From Sade Adewale, Ondo
|
Members of the Clinical and Academic Physiotherapists of Nigeria (ACAPN) has identified age factor and contaminated water as major causes of Parkinson disease in Nigeria.
This was disclosed during the opening ceremony of the association’s 7th Scientific conference and annual general meeting, held at TETFUND Building, University of Medical Sciences, Laje Ondo City.
The conference themed, Recent Advancement in Movement Disorder: featured medical elites from across Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, (ACAPN), Dr. Udoka Okafor described neurological condition as a condition that affects the brain and things around the neurological system.
He said “stroke is an infection that causes the weakness of one side of the body because of insufficient blood in the brain. When there is problem in the brain, it usually causes insufficient blood and this can cause Parkinson disease as well.
“Stroke and parkinson are different diseases caused by insufficient blood in the brain and they are both age related.
“These diseases are not diseases of children. However, we can have stroke in younger children, but usually the age of about 60 years is when the onset for stroke and Parkinson is higher. Parkinson does not present with one side but it presents with weakness of the muscles and it affects the body movement causing imbalance, rigidity among others.”
He said “slumping is stress related. There is stress in the society. People are thinking about different things while some have not eating well.
Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor of UNIMED, Prof. Adesegun Fatusi described parkinson as a disease that affects people’s movement.
Fatusi named limited physiotherapists as a great challenge in fighting neurological conditions.
The conference keynote speaker, Prof. Olatokunbo Bamidele Olaogun said parkinson disease was discovered in 1817 due to the observant for particular features element in the substantial area nucleus at the face of the brain.
He advised Nigerians to report any case of parkinson noticed in the body before it gets out of hand.
Olaogun further advised people to avoid drinking or using contaminated water, saying when taken, it goes to the blood and from there it enters the brain and damage the cell that controls movement which can lead to tremo affairs, postural instability, slow movement among others in the body.
He said physiotherapists are still researching on the actual cause of Parkinson, urging people to always report any case of body shaking, stiff body and unconscious movements, which are symptoms of Parkinson disease to the nearest physiotherapist.
Also speaking, the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu who was represented by his Special Adviser on Health, Prof. Dayo Faduyile, said the state government is settling the provision to care for Parkinson and other neurological conditions.
Akeredolu said there are treatment modalities for Parkinson disease stressing “one of them is the use of drugs and another one is the physiotherapy aspect which the state government has included with medical rehabilitation in the contributory health commission.
