Category Archives: Parkinson’s Treatment

HAILEY, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) - Hyperbarics of Sun Valley opened in 2012 and the treatment facility is growing in popularity to help a number of conditions. The very first time I came in it gave me some mental clarity where I havent had brain fog issues since I came in, so thats been huge. With the Parkinsons I shake on my right side and my shoulder predominantly stiff and pitched forward. Its released the inflammation in my shoulder where I have almost natural range of motion, said Dan Gearhart, a local resident. Hyperbaric oxygen helps dissolve oxygen into the body so we can super oxygenate the tissue which helps shut down the inflammatory process, one treatment can double your stem cell production and boost your immune system at the same time. So those processes will help with just about any condition out there, said Phil Rainey, owner of Hyperbarics of Sun Valley. Hyperberics of Sun Valley is currently seeking non-profit status so it can help more people. A service there costs $200 where in the hospital it can be $2000. You either go in there by yourself or with some other people and you watch a movie in there or take … Continue reading →

Delgados Boxing in Atlanta is home to numerous champions in the professional boxing world. Now, theyre helping seniors with Parkinsons take back their lives by being their own champions in and out of the ring. USA TODAY NETWORK Patient Paul Detlefsen speaks with Dr. Asif Bashir and physicians assistant Jacqueline Cristini at JFK Neuroscience Institute in Edison.(Photo: Mike Zebrick) The tremors started when Paul Detlefsen was in his 30s. At 36, he got the diagnosis: Parkinsons disease. It was tough news for the Woodbridge resident, who works with his hands as a machine mechanic. I had real bad tremors in my right arm, he said. I didnt want to leave the house. I kind of got depressed. Three years ago he opted to treat the symptom with deep brain stimulation (DBS), which uses surgically implanted electrodes to stimulate areas of the brain that control movement. DBS therapy, which has been around for two decades, had the desired effect. Now you couldnt even tell I have Parkinsons, the 43-year-old said. Cautionary tale of the heart: Mom survives cardiac scare Patient Paul Detlefsen speaks with physicians assistant Jacqueline Cristini at JFK Neuroscience Institute in Edison.(Photo: Mike Zebrick) The only real drawback was … Continue reading →

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 17, 2017) Parkinsons disease is a long-term, progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. An estimated seven to 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinsons. The symptoms for the disease usually develop slowly over time, and among the obvious are shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement, and difficulty in walking. Currently, there is no cure for Parkinsons, though there are medications that can slow the progression of symptoms. Dr. Craig van Horne is an associate professor of neurosurgery with UK HealthCare. He focuses his research on cellular and surgical therapies for Parkinsons disease. Deep Brain Stimulation, or DBS, is a surgical procedure that uses electrodes to stimulate areas of the brain, effectively overriding the damaged nerves electrical impulses to reduce many of the symptoms related to Parkinsons disease. Dr. van Horne is testing an experimental procedure called DBS+, which uses peripheral nerve tissue to prompt nerve regeneration and slow the disease process. Early data shows that DBS+ has improved symptoms for some patients, and van Horne hopes it will become the new standard of care for the treatment of Parkinsons symptoms, improving quality of life for patients who are diminished by their disease. On this … Continue reading →

The discovery of a "genetic switch" that helps to maintain the health of brain cells could lead to new treatments that could delay or even prevent the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. So conclude researchers at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, who led a new study published in the journal Cell Death and Differentiation. Worldwide, more than 10 million people are living with Parkinson's disease, a progressive brainwasting disorder that affects movement. Parkinson's disease gives rise to symptoms that include: muscle rigidity; impaired gait, balance, and posture; tremors in the limbs, hands, face, and jaw; and problems with speech. The disease primarily impacts a part of the brain called the substantia nigra, where it gradually destroys vital brain cells, or neurons, that produce dopamine - a chemical messenger that is essential for controlling movement. The loss of dopamine-producing cells can happen for a number of reasons, but in some hereditary cases of Parkinson's disease, it can result from unhealthy mitochondria - tiny compartments inside cells that provide them with energy to function and stay alive. Some hereditary forms of Parkinson's disease are caused by mutations in the genes PINK1 and PARKIN, which play an important role in maintaining … Continue reading →

When Jenny Wood first opened an email with the B.C. government announcement, she thought it was a hoax. But when she realized earlier today it was real and the B.C. government will now cover the Parkinson's drug her mom needs she burst into tears. "This is the news we just didn't think we would get," said Wood on the phone from Seattle, Wash. "This is what we've been fighting for." Wood's mother, Patti, 59, lives in Victoriaand was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Parkinson's disease in 2008. The drug they've been fighting to get covered is called Duodopa, which delivers a combination of medications in a gel through an intestinal pumpbut at a high cost of $60,000 per year. An oral medication with the same drug combination was already covered by B.C.'s PharmaCare planbut in a small number patients including Wood it doesn't act fast enough to relieve symptoms, said Wood. When those symptoms include gasping for breath, waiting up to an hour and a half for relief is too long, said Wood. "I spent my Christmas Eve trying to get my mom to breathe, she said. "My mom is only 59 years old, but she looks and feels … Continue reading →

A recent Mayo Clinic Health Letter reported on progress in treating those suffering from Parkinsons disease. What it did for me was trigger memories of pasts encounters Ive had with sufferers. I go back to childhood in an Eastern Ohio small town of my youth. There was a neighbor man who seldom came out of his house, and when he did, he would often drop something. So we kids said he was ill with dropsy, our thoughtless diagnosis. Now, I know that it was Parkinsons disease he suffered from. Then a few years ago I was acting as a caregiver and worked with a Parkinsons disease homebound man in a lovely old house in Carson City. He lived with his sister after a career as an architect, and aside from trembles in his hands was quite normal. I saw him once a week for two or more hours, depending on how he was feeling. He was taking regular medications which he said seemed to help, but standing was difficult. He bragged about hiring someone to help when he needed a bath. We had interesting chats at least to me and he was clearly upbeat about his condition. Back to the … Continue reading →

Former teacher Barry Mansfield sits in his home, behind the medication he has to take daily to treat symptoms of his advanced Parkinson's disease. image credit: Black Press files. A small number of British Columbians suffering from Parkinson's disease will soon be able to try the costly medication Duodopa, with fees covered by the province, as long as they have no other option of treatment. In a statement released Tuesday, Health Minister Terry Lake said he's been in discussion with Parkinson Society British Columbia and the Pacific Parkinson's Research Centre about the high cost of the drug and its effectiveness. Duodopa is a gel that is injected directly to the small intestine, pumping once every minute, which helps with absorption of other necessary medications. Physicians at the research centre will identify suitable patients and submit requests for PharmaCare coverage under the ministrys special authority program. Coverage is expected to be granted for a "small number of patients who are clinically appropriate" and may benefit from Duodopa therapy. Other qualifications include that other therapies, such as deep-brain stimulation surgery, are not feasible for the patient. Earlier this month, a group of residents in Hope launched a website, after they found out … Continue reading →

New research suggests a simple blood test may be as accurate as a spinal fluid test when trying to determine whether symptoms are caused by Parkinsons disease or another atypical Parkinsonism disorder. Neurologists explain that in early stages of disease, it can be difficult to differentiate between Parkinsons disease and atypical parkinsonism disorders (APDs). Disorders include multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, and corticobasal degeneration can have overlapping symptoms. Early identification of these diseases is important because expectations concerning progression and potential benefit from treatment differ dramatically between Parkinsons and APDs. We have found that concentrations of a nerve protein in the blood can discriminate between these diseases as accurately as concentrations of that same protein in spinal fluid, said study author Oskar Hansson, M.D., Ph.D., of Lund University in Lund, Sweden. The nerve protein is called neurofilament light chain protein. It is a component of nerve cells and can be detected in the blood stream and spinal fluid when nerve cells die. For the study, found online in the journal Neurology, researchers examined 504 people from three study groups. Two groups, one in England and one in Sweden, had healthy people and people who had been living with Parkinsons … Continue reading →

To make an appointment with a Parkinson's disease specialist, call 410-328-4323. Only in the last 30 years have dramatic breakthroughs been made in the management of Parkinson's disease. Current treatment can significantly relieve people's symptoms and markedly improve their quality of life. Treatment for Parkinson's disease may include any or all of the following: Meet our Parkinson's Disease Team The first stage of treatment for Parkinson's is an accurate diagnosis. This is tricky, as we have noted, particularly early in the disorder when distinguishing Parkinson's disease from other diseases with similar symptoms is particularly difficult. It may be helpful to see a neurologist who is experienced with what are called movement disorders. A movement disorder specialist has expertise in diagnosing and treating Parkinson's disease and related disorders. A visit to a movement disorder center may also be useful. Most such centers are connected with a department of neurology at a medical school, although some are freestanding clinics. The centers have access to appropriate rehabilitation facilities and are usually involved in research studies. The Maryland Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center is such a center. For more information about the University Physicians Consultation and Referral Service, please call 1-800-492-5538 (patients) or … Continue reading →

Prof Madeleine Lowery is modelling the brain, nerves and muscles in a bid to improve technology to treat tremors in Parkinsons disease. She spoke to Claire OConnell. Watching videosof people who have had Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) treatment to calm the tremors of the progressive neurological condition Parkinsons disease, its obvious what a transformative effect it can have. The treatment surgically implants an electrode into the brain that delivers electrical pulses to brain cells and motor neurons that control muscles. When it works, it can instantly stop tremors, likethe flick of a switch. DBS has become a relatively mainstream therapy for Parkinsons disease in recent years, but its not a panacea for all. It involves surgery, not only to implant the electrode into the brain but also to placea battery in the chest cavity, and connect the two. Over time, as the disease progresses, DBS may not manage the symptoms as effectively, and the battery typically needs to be replaced every few years. Theres scope for improvement, and that is where Prof Madeleine Lowery is on the case. Essentially, DBS can work really well but it is only prescribed for a small portion of people with Parkinsons Disease, and we … Continue reading →