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Treatment for Parkinson's disease
and other movement disorders does not follow a simple flowchart. Each
patient has varying combinations of symptoms and therefore therapy must
be tailored to each individual.Presently, the treatment options for PD and other movement disorders are drug therapy, and in cases where drug therapy is no longer effective, there is the option for surgical implantation of deep brain stimulation devices to control symptoms. With drug therapy treatments, the decaying neuronal cells can grow accustomed to the effect of a particular regimen. Therefore drug therapies require continual adjustment. Patients should also realize that all medications have potential side effects, so they should be used only when the benefit of the medication is greater than the side effects. When drug therapy no longer is effective, patients who meet certain criteria may be candidates for surgical treatment. More detailed information about the surgical implantation of stimulation devices for the treatment of PD and movement disorders can be found on the Department of Neurosurgery's website about Deep Brain Stimulation. |
