Parkinson’s disease Treatments and drugs – Diseases and …

Parkinson's disease can't be cured, but medications can help control your symptoms, often dramatically. In some later cases, surgery may be advised.

Your doctor may also recommend lifestyle changes, especially ongoing aerobic exercise. In some cases, physical therapy that focuses on balance and stretching also is important.

Medications can help you manage problems with walking, movement and tremor by increasing your brain's supply of dopamine. However, dopamine can't be given directly, as it can't enter your brain.

You may have significant improvement of your symptoms after beginning Parkinson's disease treatment. Over time, however, the benefits of drugs frequently diminish or become less consistent, although symptoms usually can continue to be fairly well controlled.

Your doctor may prescribe medications, which may include:

Carbidopa-levodopa. Levodopa, the most effective Parkinson's disease medication, is a natural chemical that passes into your brain and is converted to dopamine.

Levodopa is combined with carbidopa (Parcopa, Sinemet), which protects levodopa from premature conversion to dopamine outside your brain, which prevents or lessens side effects such as nausea. In Europe, levodopa is combined with a similar substance, benserazide (Madopar).

Side effects may include nausea or lightheadedness (orthostatic hypotension).

After years, as your disease progresses, the benefit from levodopa may become less stable with a tendency to wax and wane ("wearing off").

Also, you may experience involuntary movements (dyskinesia) after taking higher doses of levodopa. Your doctor may lessen your dose or adjust the times of your doses to control these effects.

More:
Parkinson's disease Treatments and drugs - Diseases and ...