June 5, 2024
Welcome to The Climb, your weekly journey with Lifecycle Sherpa, where we explore Parkinson’s Disease, its symptoms, treatments, tips, techniques, and build a supportive and knowledgeable community.
This week’s trail leads us to… drooling.
Question: What is it? Why does it happen? What can I do to manage it?
Answer: Drooling is dripping saliva from the mouth, which progresses over time. While it is not ideal socially, it can also lead to choking and aspiration.
Drooling occurs as a result of impairments to the muscles and movement in the mouth.
Tip: Chewing gum or sucking on a candy can stimulate the muscles in the mouth to keep spit inside.
Expert Tip: Get a referral to see a Speech Therapist for additional mouth exercises and techniques to limit drooling.
Speak with your doctor about medications or injections which can limit saliva production. It is important to note however, that the saliva production is NOT the problem and limiting saliva production can lead to dry mouth and other problems.
We always encourage feedback, as it helps us enhance our community. Feel free to reach out regarding future topics you want to learn about, or how we can improve your experience.
See you next week!