Will Parkinsons Disease Treatment Affect My Prognosis
While no treatment will affect your Parkinson’s disease prognosis, many patients find that a combination of medication, physical therapy and positive lifestyle changes help them control the symptoms of Parkinson’s even in the late stages of the disease.
If you have any questions about your diagnosis or you’re concerned about your treatment options, talk to your doctor. You can also seek advice and support from the National Parkinsons Foundation Helpline by calling 1-800-4PD-INFO .
Support For People With Parkinson’s Disease
If a patient wishes, the Movement Disorders team maintains an ongoing relationship that includes follow-up appointments with physicians and advanced practice providers to monitor the condition as it progresses. Family members are included in discussions about the goals of a patients treatment and rehabilitation program. Caregivers have access to services such as psychological counseling, support groups, and educational programs.
UT Southwestern also hosts an annual Parkinsons Disease Patient and Caregiver Symposium for patients, their families, their caregivers, and anyone interested in learning more about the disease. The symposium reviews the latest clinical treatments, ongoing research projects, new drugs, and leading-edge developments that are on the horizon.
The Benefits Of An Expert
General neurologists and specialists have a lot more experience diagnosing and treating Parkinsons than a general practitioner. Recent research underscores this point. A 2011 study showed that people newly diagnosed with Parkinsons who went to a neurologist lived longer than those who saw a primary care provider, they were less likely to need placement in a skilled nursing facility and they seemed less likely to have experienced injuries from falls.
Another study that year found that people diagnosed with PD by a neurologist were more likely to receive an anti-PD medication prescription immediately upon diagnosis the standard of care recommended by the American Academy of Neurology than those who were diagnosed by a non-neurologist.
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Response To Medication Can Matter
Other movement disorders can act like Parkinson’s. That makes it hard to know for sure whether you have the disease, even after a complete exam. However, the loss of dopamine causes Parkinson’s. It’s a chemical made by brain cells. It is important for movement.
For this reason, your doctor may want you to take a dopamine replacement drug called levodopa. Then your doctor will watch to see whether your symptoms improve. If you get better on levodopa, it’s more likely that you have Parkinson’s.
What To Ask During The First Visit
Prepare a list of questions to help you better understand the doctors expertise and your treatment options. You likely will not be able to discuss them all in one visit. You may have more specific questions once you have a treatment plan. Questions you may want to start with include:
- How many people with Parkinsons do you treat?
- Do I need other tests to confirm my PD diagnosis or rule out other disorders that may present similar symptoms?
- What PD treatment options do you suggest?
- How do my other health conditions and medications affect my PD and how I treat it?
- Do you know of any clinical studies that might be right for me to take part in?
- Are you aware of any new PD research and treatments?
- Are there lifestyle changes that can improve my PD symptoms?
- If you are not available for me to contact you between visits, who may I communicate with and how?
- Should I get a second opinion? Do you have any suggestions of doctors for me to contact?
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Is The Doctor Benefiting From Pharmaceutical Payments
While I would not judge the quality of treatment provided by a doctor solely on the fact that they have taken money from pharmaceutical companies, I believe the potential exists that a doctor might be swayed to recommend certain treatments over others.
One doctor I visited received payments from pharmaceutical companies averaging over $200,000 for a two-year period. That doctor received the second-largest payment from the pharmaceutical company that produced the medication I was prescribed during those two years.
Parkinson’s Disease Treatment At Cedars
Cedars-Sinai delivers specialized Parkinson’s care, reflecting the latest research and our decades of experience. You receive an accurate diagnosis along with the personalized service you deserve. We offer the best available Parkinson’s treatments, giving you more care options. Our team provides long-term care, so you get the right treatment even as your needs change.
Highlights of our program include:
Expert Team
Cedars-Sinai is home to world-renowned neurologists and neurosurgeons who specialize in Parkinson’s. All members of our team completed additional training in movement disorders. We offer an exceptional level of care, including effective therapies for difficult-to-treat Parkinson’s. Meet our expert team.
Advanced Therapies
If medications are not working, you may benefit from deep brain stimulation, a surgical procedure. Our experts are nationally renowned for using this treatment to help patients achieve better symptom control. Learn more about deep brain stimulation.
Research
We are advancing Parkinson’s disease care through research. Our experts have been exploring potential causes of Parkinson’s in the hopes of finding a cure. We are also evaluating new care methods through clinical trials. Find out more about neurology and neurosurgery clinical trials.
Team Approach
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Surgical Intervention: Deep Brain Stimulation
Surgery is sometimes offered to patients in the late stages of Parkinsons disease, or to those who dont respond well to Parkinsons medication. The procedure is called deep brain stimulation , and it involves surgeons implanting electrodes into parts of your brain and connecting them to a generator in your chest. The electrodes then send signals to your brain to help it coordinate movement.
Surgery won’t stop your Parkinson’s from progressing, but it can help you control the symptoms. However, DBS also comes with an increased risk of strokes, infections and brain hemorrhaging, which is why it is usually offered as a last resort .
Parkinson’s Disease And Movement Disorders Center
Wang Ambulatory Care Center
Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center8th Floor, Suite 835
To schedule an appointment:
Appointments can be scheduled by calling:
Prior to your first appointment, ask your primary care physician or referring doctor to fax pertinent medical records to the office.
Translation services are available. Please inform us if you need the assistance of a translator.
If you are a new patient to Mass General:
Call to obtain a registration number:
What to bring to your appointment:
- Your registration card, insurance card, and co-pay
- Any medical records and MRI scans that have not been sent to the office
- List of your current medications
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Signs Of Parkinsons Via Plasma Tests
For years, researchers have been trying to find ways to predict or diagnose neurodegenerative diseases and cancers through blood and plasma.
For now, there are no labs capable of diagnosing or predicting Parkinsons disease. But, scientists believe they are getting closer.
There are specific biomarkers that appear to be promising for Parkinsons disease treatment.
Find A Parkinsons Expert
Finding a doctor who is an expert in Parkinsons disease can help you get the best possible care. Look for a neurologist, a doctor who works with brain and central nervous system conditions such as Parkinsons. When possible, a movement disorder specialist a neurologist with additional training to treat people with Parkinsons at every stage of the disease can be a key addition to a quality care team.
Neurologists with Parkinsons expertise and movement disorder specialists can often recommend other healthcare professionals who can help treat day-to-day challenges. A holistic, team-based care approach can help you live well with PD.
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Medication For Parkinsons Disease
Once the doctor diagnoses Parkinsons disease, the next decision is whether a patient should receive medication, which depends on the following:
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The degree of functional impairment
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The degree of cognitive impairment
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Ability to tolerate antiparkinsonian medication
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The advice of the attending doctor
No two patients react the same way to a given drug, therefore, it takes time and patience to find an appropriate medication and dosage to alleviate symptoms.
Besides Medication How Else Can I Manage The Disease
There are multiple lifestyle choices and home remedies that you can incorporate to help improve your PD symptoms.4,5
- Exercise: Exercise can benefit people at every stage of PD to enhance or maintain balance, endurance, flexibility, and strength. Studies show exercise can improve your symptoms no matter what you exercise you do.
- Alternative medicine: Tai Chi, massage, meditation, yoga, Alexander technique, and pet therapy can all help with balance, flexibility, and emotional stability that can sometimes be challenging for people with PD.
- Nutrition: Maintaining a healthy diet is important, and adding plenty of liquid, fiber, fresh fruits, and vegetables, and healthy fats to your diet can help constipation that can affect people with PD and improve your overall health.
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Alternative Treatments For Parkinson’s Disease
Alternative therapy may also be used to treat Parkinson’s disease. The most touted in recent years has been the effect of Vitamin E on reversing the progression of the disease although, this effect is still being debated by the scientific community.
Relaxation and guided imagery have also been suggested to help with stress, depression, and anxiety. Medical studies have shown that relaxation and guided imagery may help slow the progression of symptoms as well as quicken healing time after surgeries or injuries.
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Speech And/or Occupational Therapist
Over time, patients with Parkinsons disease encounter problems with speaking and swallowing. A speech therapist can be helpful, using LSVT therapy.
This vigorous vocal exercise helps patients with Parkinsons recalibrate their voice tone and loudness, both of which can be diminished by Parkinsons.
An occupational therapist can also help you assess your home for safety. Occupational therapists can suggest assistive devices and train you in their use. This will help you remain independent and self-sufficient as long as possible.
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Led By A Movement Disorders Specialist
With Parkinsons disease, choices made about treatment can have a major impact on the long-term course of the illness. Therefore, many physicians recommend that Parkinsons patients see a movement disorders specialist early in the course of the disease. Led by Dr. David Sommer, a fellowship-trained neurologist who is a movement disorders specialist, the Parkinsons Disease Center of Central Massachusetts can provide a level of care that truly makes a difference in the daily lives of patients.
Brain Imaging Can Help With Diagnosis
Doctors use two tests that take detailed pictures of your brain. Each one may help your doctor make a diagnosis. These tests are:
- PET scan: This shows how your brain functions. It shows how the brain uses sugar. This scan can help tell the difference between Parkinson’s and .
- DaTscan: This shows problems with brain cells that make dopamine. Healthy brain cells light up during the test. Cells without enough dopamine appear dark. This scan can help your doctor tell the difference between Parkinson’s and a brain disease called .
Imaging studies are a newer way to diagnose Parkinson’s. However, not every healthcare facility can do them. It takes an experienced doctor to interpret the scans accurately. These scans also can be very expensive. Be sure to check with your insurance company ahead of time to see whether you are covered and what your out-of-pocket costs will be.
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There Are Three Types Of Range Of Motion Exercises For Parkinsons Disease
- Active Exercise : This type of exercise is for people who can exercise their limbs without help.
- Active-Assistive exercise : This type of exercise is for people who move their limb muscles with a little help. The patient moves their limbs themselves, but a physical therapist helps them do so, by the therapists hand or with thera bands or other equipment.
- Passive exercise : This type is for who cannot active participants in an exercise.
- Strengthening Exercises for Muscle : Many exercises increase muscle strength. All strengthening exercises are progressively increased resistance. If a muscle is very weak, kineticism against gravity alone is adequate. If increase muscle strength, resistance is gradually incremented by using bands or weights. In this way, the size of muscle and strength are incremented, and increase endurance improves.
- Co-ordination and Balance Exercises
These exercises help people who have problem coordination and balance, conventionally because of brain damage. Coordination exercises help people to do specific tasks. The exercises involve reiterating a meaningful movement that works more than one joint and muscle, such as picking up an object or physically contacting a body part.
Balance exercises are initially done in parallel bars, where therapist in standing position right behind the person. The person shifts weight in between right and left legs in a swaying kineticism.
Seeing A Movement Disorder Specialist
A movement disorder specialist will work closely with your neurologist or current doctor to plan your care and follow-up. A movement disorder specialist also is likely to have relationships with other specialists and allied care professionals who have experience with PD, including physical, occupational and speech therapists. A team of professionals can help provide more holistic care and address your specific needs.
Even if youve been treated for Parkinsons for some time, you may want to consult a movement disorder specialist to:
- review your current medications and recommend adjustments if needed
- assemble a team of health care professionals who will work together to determine the most appropriate treatment for your changing condition
Hear what our community suggests for preparing for an MDS appointment.
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A Multidisciplinary Approach To Care
Parkinsons disease is a condition that can affect different aspects of your life, including your mobility, mood, and sleep. We work with a highly trained and dedicated team of specialists that are all focused on helping you live better with Parkinsons.
- A Nurse Practitioner can help your physician provide you the best care and address issues about medications and other Parkinsons-related issues.
- A Physical Therapist can evaluate and treat you to optimize your mobility, physical activity and exercise, and safety.
- An Occupational Therapist can help you stay active and independent in your daily activities.
- A Speech Therapist can evaluate you and provide recommendations and treatment if the Parkinsons is affecting your speech or swallowing.
- A Social Worker can answer your questions and provide counseling about lifestyle transitions, options if you need help with your care, and financial and work-related issues.
You have changed my life. I started using the MGH PD Exercise videos on New Year’s Day and have exercised every day since then even when I got my first COVID vaccine jab and had a very sore arm. Now, I actually look forward to my exercise sessions with you… I am stronger, more flexible, have better stamina and am healthier both physically and emotionally because of your work.
What We Treat In South Florida
The specialists at The Pauline Braathen Neurological Center provide high quality care and treatment for complex neurological conditions. Using a multidisciplinary approach that brings together a team of specialists, we offer medical management and innovative surgical options for patients diagnosed with a variety of movement disorders including:
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What Is Parkinsons Disease Definition Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Stages Risk Factors Pathophysiology Medications Treatment
Parkinsons disease is a disorder involving brain that leads to movement and non-movement symptoms in patients. Some of the commonly occurring symptoms of Parkinsons disease include shaking, stiffness, difficulty while walking, coordination issues, and balance problems. The symptoms of Parkinsons disease typically begin slowly and get worse with time. With the progression of disease, people might suffer from difficulties with speech and walking. In addition, the patients with Parkinsons disease also suffer from behavioral and mental changes that include fatigue, memory issues, depressions, and sleep problems. The incidence of Parkinsons disease is higher than the combined diagnosis of other neurological disorders like Lou Gehrigs disease, muscle dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis.
Accurate Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosis
Parkinson’s is challenging to diagnose because symptoms, such as difficulty walking, can be a sign of other movement disorders. Some people have parkinsonism. This group of diseases causes Parkinson’s-like symptoms that do not respond to Parkinson’s treatments.
At Cedars-Sinai, we consider your health history and perform a nervous system exam before confirming a Parkinson’s diagnosis. Our years of experience enable us to detect subtle symptoms that do not show up on other tests.
Tests may include:
Levodopa Testing
Testing your response to a Parkinson’s drug, levodopa, allows us to rule out some other movement disorders. Levodopa boosts dopamine levels and is not an effective treatment for other movement disorders. If your symptoms improve with levodopa, you likely have Parkinson’s.
DaTscan Test
We may use this noninvasive imaging test to help rule out Parkinsonian syndrome. This group of disorders causes movement problems similar to Parkinson’s but might not stem from the disease. Learn more about DaTscan.
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Multidisciplinary Movement Disorders Clinic
Patients who come to the Movement Disorders Clinic are seen by a movement disorders specialist, a neurologist who has extra training in evaluating and treating a person with Parkinsons disease. There are no blood or imaging tests that can confirm Parkinsons disease, so diagnosis is based on visible signs and symptoms, which are reviewed during a medical history and neurologic examination.
Movement Disorders We Treat
Patients with movement disorders may struggle with tremor, tics, other involuntary movements, balance problems, progressively slower physical movement or even loss of physical movement. We treat the full range of movement disorders related to:
- Parkinson’s disease and related disorders
- Dystonia
- Myoclonus & stereotypical response to sudden and unexpected stimulus
- Tics & Tourette disorder
- Restless legs syndrome
- Gait disorders
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Review Your Treatment Plan
Besides these basic questions, the most important way to choose the neurologist you will work with is by listening to the treatment plan she puts together for you. Does it make sense? Does your healthcare provider discuss it with you after considering your personal needs, goals, and symptoms? Does she mention that the treatment plan needs to be flexible and be re-evaluated over time? Does she try to integrate the plan into your everyday life and needs?
You need to use your common sense when choosing a Parkinson’s disease neurologist/specialist. You cannot healthcare provider yourself. You need to trust at some point that this highly trained specialist knows what he or she is doing.