Common Treatments for Parkinson's Disease
To date, there is no cure for Parkinson's disease. Treatment for this disease is used to lessen the symptoms and the disability they cause. Parkinson's disease treatment is also used to reduce side effects of drug therapy while helping the patient continue with his daily life with the highest quality possible.
Medications are used to help in the overall management of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, but medication cannot stop the advancement of the disease. Management of each individual's treatment is very important and determined by a skilled physician who has special knowledge in the various treatments of Parkinson's disease. Individual patients suffering with mild symptoms which do not interfere with their everyday life do not always require medication.
Drugs
There are quite a few drugs available for treating the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. However, some of these drugs may actually cause the symptoms themselves if not carefully prescribed and administered. If a specialist is able to determine which of the medications being used is causing the Parkinson-like symptoms, that medication can be withdrawn or adjusted while the patient's symptoms are closely monitored for change or improvement.
Specific recommendations for various medications are usually made immediately after Parkinson's disease is diagnosed in the patient. Selegiline (Eldepryl) is a useful drug due to it being a neuroprotective drug. These types of drugs assist in protecting brain cells and slow or stop Parkinson's disease from progressing.
If the patient has symptoms and experiences difficulties with physical mobility, levodopa and carbidopa (Sinemet), or a COMPT inhibitor such as entacapone (Comtan) or tolcapone (Tasmar), or a dopamine agonist such as bromocriptine (Parlodel), ropinirole (Requip), a pergolide (Permax) or pramipexole (Mirapex) can be commenced. These are usually very effective, at least for a time.
When a particular medication can no longer control the symptoms effectively, another drug may be added to the therapy. Usually, levodopa and carbidopa are held in reserve for use later in the progression of the disease. The reason for this is that despite its benefits, these have the side effect of causing movement dysfunction if administered too early. Stalevo is a drug which has been recently developed and combines levodopa/carbidopa and entacapone in a single tablet. Patients who are at present taking carbidopa/levedopa (Sinemet) can use entacapone (Comtan) as separate medications.
Surgery
For those people who are suffering from severe or rapidly progressing Parkinson's disease, where all other therapies have failed, may be candidates for surgery. A surgical procedure known as a Pallidotomy can be used where an electric probe is used to destroy a tiny portion of the brain which is overactive and thought to be the main cause of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
A second surgical procedure known as a Thalamotomy may also be considered for some patients. This is a removal of part of the thalamus region of the brain. The thalamus is responsible for involuntary movements and by destroying the thalamus, prevention of involuntary movements is achieved. This type of radical surgery is rarely performed anymore, and is the very last resort for those patients who are suffering from involuntary movements and disabling tremors in the arm or hands. It should be remembered that this procedure does not relieve other symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Other Treatments
Another type of Parkinson's treatment is thalamic stimulation. This method consists of an electrode-wire being inserted into the thalamus. The other end of the wire is attached to a pulse generator which is placed under the patient's flesh around his chest area. The device can provide the benefit of Thalamotomy without causing wounds on the skin. It has been proven to be a very good management technique in tremor symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
An innovative and rather new procedure is known as Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). This procedure destroys the small region of the brain where a thin electrode implanted into the brain blocking brain waves that can cause the uncontrollable movements.
As a result of this new treatment way Parkinson's disease symptoms can be managed better and to some extend help to make the life of the patient less difficult with improving his or her physical mobility.
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