Symptoms start slowly, and may include tremor, slowed movements, muscle rigidity, impaired posture and balance, speech and writing changes. Risk factors for Parkinson’s Disease include age (patients usually develop the disease after the age of 60) and a family history of Parkinson’s disease.
Many of these symptoms can be managed with medications, such as carbidopa-levodopa, however, certain patients may be candidates for neurosurgical interventions. For example, Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) uses electrical current delivered through a precisely placed electrode in a patient’s brain to improve overall function, decrease tremor, and generally easing abdominal movements, muscle stiffness and medication use. Some centers are also utilizing focused ultrasound to help treat the tremor associated with Parkinson’s Disease
If you think you or a loved one may be showing early signs of Parkinson’s Disease, be sure to reach out with your concerns to your doctor or look through the Parkinson’s Foundation website.
If you think you may be a candidate for a surgical therapy, use our specialist finder to find a surgeon near you who can help. You can also read more about the deep brain procedure here or focused ultrasound here.