Pain relief - Parkinsons and on blood thinners

May 11, 2020 11:28 AM

Hi! Asking for a relative who has Parkinson’s and is therefore taking levodopa, and is also taking blood thinners. He has severe hip pain that is making his mobility even worse. YANHD but do you know of any medical or non-medical treatments that could help alleviate pain?

We can’t / don’t want to send him out for physio, massage etc. or get an in-house treatment until the lockdown is lifted. YANHD but do you know of any medical or non-medical treatments that could help alleviate pain? Anything from names of pharmaceuticals to brand names of lotions to types of music. Seriously, anything please. They live in a place where Marijuana use is legal, and have made a virtual appt at a cannabis clinic. Thanks!

posted by leslievictoria to Health & Fitness (8 answers total)

Kind of glib answer, but what did his doctor (probably the l-dopa prescriber) suggest? What of those suggestions have you tried? If you haven't asked his doctor, most medical professionals are doing some kind of telemedicine appointment right now (or even just email), and if his doctor isn't they can almost certainly refer you to one who is.
posted by brainmouse at 11:30 AM on May 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

Try 25:1 (CBD:THC) per serving gummies or mints. If that doesn't help you can move up to CBD oil or tincture that has a ratio closer to 50:5 per serving. Ask about these options at the cannabis clinic virtual appointment, and be sure to buy cannabis CBD, not hemp CBD (so you'll have to get it at a dispensary, not Whole Foods).

It's not great for warm weather but my chronic pain is helped immensely by a heated mattress pad. Maybe that would help, too? Or laying on a heating pad?
posted by stellaluna at 12:48 PM on May 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

You know the now deeply understood as a masturbatory aid Hitachi and wand style massagers? Try are gold standard for massage and I found were extremely effective at getting spasming hip muscles to relax. They're able to get to some of the underlying musculature, and because it's a vibration rather than pressure, less likely to bruise or aggravate other muscles. Doesn't work as well on joint pain vs muscles around a joint pain (aka great for my hips, annoying for my wrists).

I also find supported bridges do wonders for my hips. Just laying on a yoga bolster or even a few pillows, and with my legs up a wall if I can, take the pressure off those joints in a good way.

Also, foot exercises - a lot of hip pain involves the whole leg, and even wearing an orthotic or silicone heel cover on my foot can help my hip.
posted by geek anachronism at 2:08 PM on May 11, 2020

Spouse swears by this stuff. There is also a hemp oil version. It's sort of a "...and the kitchen sink" type of formula, but whether one or some or most or all of the ingredients, it seems to work the best of any similar thing spouse has tried.
posted by flug at 3:23 PM on May 11, 2020

Response by poster: These are amazing suggestions. Exactly what I was hoping for. Please keep them coming. Thanks!!
posted by leslievictoria at 8:52 PM on May 11, 2020

Also, I am not a PT so take this with many grains of salt but this pelvic realignment exercise is gentle and often helps me when I have pain in my hips, pelvis, or SI joint. A dowel rod works or even a broomstick and he can try it in bed if getting on the floor is too difficult.

In my experience hip pain is often referred from elsewhere in the body, as geek anachronism mentions, so it might be worth doing gentle stretches of the upper back, hamstrings, quads, etc., as well as some gentle massage on the haunches/buttocks (too firm can sometimes cause a rubber band effect here, which increases pain). Very brief walks, even around the house every hour, might also help if he can tolerate it.
posted by stellaluna at 9:55 PM on May 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

Oh! And, there is a connection between the psoas and the diaphragm, so doing deep breathing exercises can help with hip pain! This video explains it and you can google for more; it sounds a little out there but this has helped me tremendously and is something that can be done no matter the level of mobility.

If he’s not used to doing deep breathing it is going to feel unintuitive or weird the first handful of times he tries but just keep going; the body gets the hang of it eventually. If I haven’t done any deep breathing in a while or if I’m in pain or stressed it can take me five or ten minutes to drop in, so stick with it!
posted by stellaluna at 10:00 PM on May 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: To reply to brainmouse : his family doctor prescribed a different painkiller that doesn’t appear to be helping. Gave requisitions for physio in the past. That’s it.
posted by leslievictoria at 10:21 AM on May 12, 2020