Tag Archives: tremors

Surgery For Parkinson’s Disease

There are several different types of surgery that have been used to treat Parkinson’s disease. Brain Lesioning: a procedure where a surgeon uses a heat probe to destroy a small area of brain tissue that is abnormally active in patients with Parkinson’s disease. This produces a permanent effect on the brain; only one side of the brain may undergo lesioning at a time. Thalamic Surgery: once used for treating Parkinson’s disease; now used only for patients with essential tremor. Pallidotomy: a procedure that improves tremor, rigidity, and some other movement problems. Only one side of the brain may undergo pallidotomy … Continue reading →

A Closer Look At Parkinson Disease

Parkinson disease is a disorder of the central nervous system that affects different parts of the brain. More than one million people in North America and more than four million people worldwide have the disease. As the general population ages, the number of cases of Parkinson disease increase. Parkinson disease is known as late onset if symptoms begin after the age of fifty and early onset if symptoms begin before the age of fifty. If symptoms appear before the age of twenty, the disease may be called juvenile onset Parkinson disease. Most cases of Parkinson disease occur in people with … Continue reading →

Living With Parkinson’s Disease

Life with a chronic, progressive disease is a major transition. A person who once thought of themselves as healthy must suddenly adjust to the thought of life with a disease that has no cure. Early in the progression of the disease, the psychological aspects of having the disease may be more of an issue than the motor problems. You may experience denial, disbelief and anger before eventually coming to terms with the fact that you have Parkinson’s disease. If you have Parkinson’s disease, you will never return to “normal”. Your treatment goal will not be eliminating all signs of the … Continue reading →

Treating Parkinson’s Disease

At present, there is no treatment to slow or halt the progress of Parkinson’s disease. Treatment focuses instead on the most bothersome symptoms for each individual, like tremors, slowness, or stiffness. There is no standard or most effective treatment for Parkinson’s disease; the choice of medication or surgery is based on each individual patient. Perhaps the most commonly prescribed medication for Parkinson’s disease is levodopa. This medicine is converted to dopamine by enzymes in the brain, and helps reduce the symptoms of slowness, stiffness, and tremor in most patients. Levodopa is paired with some kind of enzyme inhibitor to prevent … Continue reading →

Parkinson’s Disease Research

There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease. Medications or surgery can help ease the symptoms, but right now there is nothing that can stop the progression of the disease. That doesn’t mean doctors and scientists aren’t working on finding a cure. Research studies are being done all the time, focusing on new medicines and surgical techniques to ease Parkinson’s disease symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. These studies cannot be done without volunteers. If you have Parkinson’s disease, you may be interested in volunteering for a research study or clinical trial. Not sure if volunteering for a … Continue reading →

Driving With Parkinson’s Disease

Driving means freedom. If you can drive, you can take yourself to work, to the store, to visit friends — anywhere you need or want to go. However, driving is a complex skill. If you have Parkinson’s disease, you may not be able to drive safely. The main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include tremors (shaking), slowness of movement, and stiffness (rigidity). Shaking and rigidity can affect your arms, hands, and legs — even when you are relaxed. You may have difficulty turning the steering wheel, using the gas and brake pedals, and operating turn signals and other car features. Slowed … Continue reading →

Parkinson’s Disease: Overview

Thanks to Michael J. Fox, a lot of people have heard of Parkinson’s disease in the last few years. But the disease has been around longer than that! You may know the name, but do you know the basic information about Parkinson’s disease? Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder caused by the loss of nerve cells in the substantia nigra part of the brain. In a normally functioning brain, these nerve cells produce dopamine — a chemical that allows coordinated function of the body’s muscles and movement. When eighty percent of the nerve cells that produce dopamine are damaged, we … Continue reading →