Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) affects the way your brain controls your muscles. Parkinson’s is a disease due to loss of brain cells that produce dopamine and is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement and can develop gradually. This can make it hard to walk and do many other kinds of movement. Symptoms can be barely noticeable, could be a tremor in just one hand.
Approximately one million people have Parkinson’s disease in the United States and there are around 50,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Parkinson's disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder that affects mostly 65 years of age and older. Although 1 out of every 10 people with the disease is younger than 45.
PD Warning Signs
- Tremor - slight shaking or tremor in your finger, hand or chin
- Loss of smell - have trouble smelling certain foods (Bananas, pickles)
- Trouble moving or walking - body might be very stiff and have trouble moving your arms when you walk
- Stooping or hunching over - finding yourself leaning over more than usual
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) uses electrical stimulation in the brain to help control abnormal body movements.
During deep brain stimulation surgery, a neurosurgeon places an electrode in the area of the brain that’s causing abnormal movement and tests it while you are awake to see if it successfully controls your symptoms. A small device that generates electrical pulses along a thin wire is then placed under your skin near your collarbone. The surgical team uses imaging technology to feed the wire through the skin to the electrode in the brain. The device will control the electrical impulses sent to your brain and can be adjusted to deliver more or less stimulation if your symptoms change.
DBS is a minimally invasive procedure that takes approximately four hours. After surgery, your symptoms should immediately improve, and you may be able to reduce the number of medicines you take to control symptoms.
Facts about Parkinson's Disease
• Parkinson's mostly affects men.
• There is no blood test or scan that can diagnose Parkinson’s disease.
• Doctors look for four classic symptoms of the disease before reaching a diagnosis.
• There is no known cause of PD although a family history of the disease will increase your risk.
• Parkinson's is a movement disorder.
Treatment for Parkinson's Disease
A new online Parkinson’s disease study is available from The Michael J. Fox Foundation by Fox Insight. Fox Insight is an online clinical study where people with Parkinson’s disease and their loved ones share information that could transform the search for better treatments.
Treatment for Parkinson's Disease can include seeing a neurologist, medications, surgery, and treatment plans. If you or a loved one is suffering from PD, contact a Neurologist at First Choice Neurology today. We have several locations throughout Florida.