Category Archives: Parkinson’s Treatment

Parkinsons diseaseis a degenerative illness of the nervous system that results in loss of intentional movement and impaired motor functioning.Parkinsons disease affects smooth, natural movements of the body, and can make it hard to perform everyday tasks like speaking properly, walking, swallowing and sleeping. With Parkinsons, the area of the brain that controls muscular movements receives less dopamine than usual. Dopamine is an important chemical necessary for not only coordinating proper body movements, but also things like learning, increasing motivation and regulating moods. This is one reason why depression and other mood changes often affect those with Parkinsons. What causes Parkinsons, and is it curable? There is no specific known cause, but some aggravating factors include exposure to certain chemicals and toxic water, plus inflammation of the brain. While there is no cure for Parkinsons (the condition is both chronic and progressive), there are medications available to boost dopamine in the brain and to help manage symptoms.(01) When it comes to the effectiveness of medications and traditional drugs, often over time Parkinsons symptoms will stop responding. This is why its very important to take extra measures to slow down the progression of symptoms, ideally in the early stages of the … Continue reading →

The main treatment for Parkinsons is drug therapy. Surgical techniques are also available for some people. Drug therapy The decision to take medication depends on the individual and on a variety of factors such as Consult your doctor to help choose the medication that will best suit your individual situation. See info sheet: Parkinson's Medications...What you need to know!(PDF) The purpose of drug therapy is to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. Drugs will not stop the progression of the disease. Drugs can help you function on a daily basis; but may cause side effects that need to be managed. Finding the right balance may take time. It is important to contact your doctor to report benefits or problems you may be experiencing. Taking your medication at the right time every day is very important. Parkinson Canada has developed theI have Parkinsons Medication Card(PDF)to help keep track of drugs. For a copy, contact info@parkinson.ca. Surgical options Surgical treatment for Parkinsons can be beneficial for some people. Surgery is not a standard treatment for everyone with Parkinsons; but can be considered after drug therapy has been tried. Procedures involve inserting a probe into the brain and targeting specific areas that … Continue reading →

If you've received a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, you'll need to work closely with your doctor to find a treatment plan that offers you the greatest relief from symptoms with the fewest side effects. Certain lifestyle changes may also help make living with Parkinson's disease easier. While there's no food or combination of foods proven to help in Parkinson's disease, some foods may help ease some of the symptoms. For example, eating foods high in fiber and drinking an adequate amount of fluids can help prevent constipation that is common in Parkinson's disease. A balanced diet also provides nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, that may be beneficial for people with Parkinson's disease. Exercising may increase your muscle strength, flexibility and balance. Exercise can also improve your well-being and reduce depression or anxiety. Your doctor may suggest you work with a physical therapist to learn an exercise program that works for you. You may also try exercises such as walking, swimming, gardening, dancing, water aerobics or stretching. Parkinson's disease can disturb your sense of balance, making it difficult to walk with a normal gait. Exercise may improve your balance. These suggestions may also help: In the later stages of the … Continue reading →

Most Comprehensive FN Program Functional Neurosurgery (FN) program is the only program in India to offer complete spectrum of functional neurosurgery. It has one of the largest experience. The department conducts scientific projects, trains young neurosurgeons and offer functional neurosurgical fellowship. Our work has been published. Know More We are very sensitive to the patients and their caregivers need. We understand that no one wants to visit hospital by choice and it is our endeavour to lessen their grief. Greetings to you. It gives me a great pleasure to bring you this new, mobile friendly website. It has been designed for better access to the areas of your interest. The functional neurosurgery program of the Jaslok Hospital achieved yet one another milestone. It recently successfully hosted the World Society for Stereotactic and functional neurosurgery meeting. There were more than 400 delegates with 250 from 38 different countries. The scientific program was a feast and around 100 Indian young neurosurgeons took the advantage of the training imparted. It helped to enhance the stature of the Indian functional neurosurgery. This year we had several new developments. We launched the first Vercise system in Asia. This is the most advanced DBS system in … Continue reading →

Medicationcan be used toimprove the main symptoms of Parkinsons disease, such as tremors (uncontrollable shaking) and movement problems. However, not all the medications available are useful for everyone, and the short and long-term effects of each are different. Three main types of medication are commonly used. These are levodopa, dopamine agonists and monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors Your specialist can explain your medication options, including the risks associated with each medication, and discuss which may be best for you. Regular reviews will be required as the condition progresses and your needs change. Read on to learn about the treatments you may be offered. You can also see a summary of the pros and cons of treatments for Parkinson's disease, where you can compare your options. Most people with Parkinson's disease will eventually need to have a medication called levodopa. Levodopa is absorbed by the nerve cells in your brain and turned into the chemical dopamine, which is used to transmit messages between the parts of the brain and nerves that control movement. Increasing the levels of dopamine using levodopa usually improves movement problems. Levodopa is usually taken as a tablet or liquid and is often combined with other medication, such as benserazide … Continue reading →

Parkinson's disease (PD) belongs to a group of conditions called motor system disorders, which are the result of the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. The four primary symptoms of PD are tremor, or trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face; rigidity, or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; bradykinesia, or slowness of movement; and postural instability, or impaired balance and coordination. As these symptoms become more pronounced, patients may have difficulty walking, talking, or completing other simple tasks. PD usually affects people over the age of 60. Early symptoms of PD are subtle and occur gradually. In some people the disease progresses more quickly than in others. As the disease progresses, the shaking, or tremor, which affects the majority of people with PD may begin to interfere with daily activities. Other symptoms may include depression and other emotional changes; difficulty in swallowing, chewing, and speaking; urinary problems or constipation; skin problems; and sleep disruptions. There are currently no blood or laboratory tests that have been proven to help in diagnosing sporadic PD. Therefore the diagnosis is based on medical history and a neurological examination. The disease can be difficult to diagnose accurately. Doctors may sometimes request brain scans or … Continue reading →

Management of Parkinson's disease (PD), due to its chronic nature, requires a broad-based program including patient and family education, support group services, general wellness maintenance, exercise, and nutrition. At present, no cure for PD is known, but medications or surgery can provide relief from the symptoms. While many medications treat Parkinson's, none actually reverses the effects of the disease or cures it. Furthermore, the gold-standard treatment varies with the disease state. People with Parkinson's, therefore, often must take a variety of medications to manage the disease's symptoms.[1] Several medications currently in development seek to better address motor fluctuations and nonmotor symptoms of PD. However, none ise yet on the market with specific approval to treat Parkinson's.[2] The main families of drugs useful for treating motor symptoms are Levodopa, dopamine agonists, and MAO-B inhibitors.[3] The most commonly used treatment approach varies depending on the disease stage. Two phases are usually distinguished: an initial phase in which the individual with PD has already developed some disability for which he needs pharmacological treatment, and a second stage in which the patient develops motor complications related to levodopa usage.[3] Treatment in the initial state aims to attain an optimal tradeoff between good management of … Continue reading →

WHAT IS PARKINSON'S DISEASE? (L. Paralysis agitans) Discovered by James Parkinson in 1817, Parkinson's disease has been previously identified many thousands of years ago in ancient Ayurvedic texts as Kampavata (Kampa: tremor; Vata: the bodily humor governing movement). The Caraka Samhita, the most ancient and authoritative textbook of Ayurveda, gives the following description of the symptoms of Kampavata (Parkinson's): 'Tremors of hands and feet; difficulty with body movements'. Various signs and symptoms currently associated with the disease such as akinesia, drooling, reptilian stare, tremor, constant somnolence, rigidity and dementia are also described in the Caraka Samhita. Ayurveda operates on the principle of achieving balance amongst the 3 main doshas, or humors of the body, Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Vata governs all air and movement in the body. Ayurveda explains that the cause of Parkinson's disease, a disorder caused by imbalance of the Vata dosha, is the presence of aggravated air in the brain. This aggravated air is formed as a result of poor digestion leading to disturbance of the stomach, and the stomach then sends aggravated, unhealthy air to the brain. Over time the aggravated air attacks and corrodes the area of the brain that controls involuntary movements. This corrosive … Continue reading →

HOME UNDERSTANDING PARKINSON'S Living with Parkinson's There are treatments available to lessen the effects of Parkinsons symptoms for some window of time, but this is all they can do offer symptomatic relief. What we dont have is a disease-modifying treatment, something that would actually halt or slow the progression of the disease. Nevertheless, significant research is being performed in the pursuit of such treatments this is the top priority of The Michael J. Fox Foundation and many of its research partners. While none is without side effects, available drugs can greatly enhance the quality of life of a Parkinson's patient, sometimes restoring function to nearly normal for some period of time. Over time, as the disease progresses, drug dosing is adjusted to best meet a patient's symptomatic needs. Each Parkinsons patient experiences a different range of symptoms. For this reason, not all treatments are of equal value to all patients. It's essential to work closely with your doctor and all medical caregivers involved with your treatment regimen to develop the approach that's right for you. Decisions about which treatments to use, how long they can be expected to remain beneficial, and when to begin are highly individualized in Parkinsons disease. … Continue reading →

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital now offers the Gamma Knife, a noninvasive treatment for Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease (PD or, simply, Parkinson's) is the most common form of parkinsonism, a group of motor system disorders. It is a slowly progressing, degenerative disease that is usually associated with the following symptoms, all of which result from the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells: It is incorrectly believed that Parkinson's disease disappeared after the introduction of levodopa (L-dopa) in the 1960s. In fact, about 50,000 Americans are newly diagnosed with Parkinson's disease each year, with more than half a million Americans affected at any one time. Further, more people suffer from Parkinson's disease than multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis combined. The specific cause of PD is unknown, however, medical experts believe the symptoms are related to a chemical imbalance in the brain caused by brain-cell death. Parkinson's disease is chronic (persists over a long period of time) and progressive (symptoms grow worse over time). Although the disease may appear in younger patients (even teenagers), it usually affects people in late middle age. The disease affects men and women in almost equal numbers. It is not contagious, nor is it likely … Continue reading →