writer's cramp

[gcoe]

micrographia is quite different from writers cramp. Writers cramp is not a problem of Parkinson's disease. If your uncle has Parkinson's disease it is most likely not due to writers cramp. So I have written this as considering your uncle doesn't have writers cramp and that that is a false diagnosis. The shaking (tremor) usually disappears on the concentrating on moving so is usually not such a big problem as you hand writing causes the movement. The problem in micrographia is considered due to hypokinesia which is loss of the size of the movement - the size of the movement is affected due to failing of the scaling of the movement by the part of the brain that is affected. this is what produces the tiny hand writing and small steps in walking.

Two strategies you could try is having some large hand writing on the line above and getting your uncle to practice copying the large handwriting. this often has a temporary effect of increasing the handwriting for some time. But the exercise needs to be repeated, for example each day doing a bit of practice

An alternative strategy is to practice hand writing while not looking at the hand (eg keep the eyes closed):

http://www.bcm.edu/neurology/pdf/pos...n%20PD_MDS.pdf

there is usually a general loss of fine manipulation skills in the hand over and above micrographia. Keeping the hand strong and practising manipulation tasks each day may help slow down the decline in hand function. However there is a fine line between "fighting the disease" - that is where you exercise to overcome the impairments and where there needs to be some acceptance of the loss of function and thinking about alternative strategies. On the whole you are better off doing what he can to keep the function. And keeping fit generally is really important - exercising every day.

Is your uncle on levadopa or other Parkinson's medications?

[shruti]

Thanx so much for the suggestions,...

but i guess u misundrstud a bit......he hs been diagnosed with writer's cramp only not p.d by many neurologists and acc. to them its a precipitating factor for p.d....hez not hvng any levodopa or any such med.

he dsnt hv any bradykinesia or any movt. disorders.......only thing affecting him is hand functions and esp. handwriting. he complains of li'l hand shaking vry li'l while writing. and he hs also showed me his writing wich is actually deteriorating day by day...vry difficult to undrstnd,wich dsn implies that hez hvng sum movt. disordrs or p.d........ITZ GNRLLY CONSIDRD THT IT may (cud be vry rare)b an indicator of dvlping p.d in future.