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Parkinson’s disease is a complex, progressive brain disorder. The disease disrupts the brain’s nerve pathways that control how your body moves. Medication and surgery are the main Parkinson’s disease treatments.
If you’re looking for Parkinson’s disease treatments in Northern California, Find a Doctor at the following Dignity Health North State neurology centers for personal care:
Unfortunately researchers have not yet found a cure for Parkinson’s disease. For now, Parkinson’s treatments focus on reducing the severity of motor symptoms like tremors and muscle rigidity to improve your quality of life.
Parkinson’s disease is caused by low levels of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, a brain chemical that allows nerve cells to communicate. Medications can directly and indirectly increase dopamine levels to improve the physical Parkinson’s symptoms.
Doctors most often prescribe the following Parkinson’s medications:
Medications are the main Parkinson’s treatment because they effectively reduce symptoms for most people with Parkinson’s disease.
if you initially respond to the Parkinson’s medication levodopa and later develop movement problems, DBS surgery might be a good option. With DBS surgery, a deep brain stimulator (DBS) is implanted into your body. A doctor places an electrode in your brain and connects it to a small, pacemaker-like device implanted under your skin near your collarbone. The DBS device sends painless electrical pulses to the brain in a way that blocks the errant nerve signals that cause hand tremors and movement difficulties.
DBS surgery is not for everyone. Neurologists at Dignity Health North state will evaluate whether DBS surgery is right for you. Your doctor may also recommend physical or occupational therapy to help reduce muscle stiffness and improve your quality of life.
Dignity Health North State offers personalized Parkinson’s disease treatments, including Parkinson’s medications and DBS surgery, in Red Bluff and Redding, CA.