Parkinson’s disease is a debilitating, degenerative brain condition. The disease attacks the part of your brain that deals with neuromuscular ability. It can cause tremors, difficulty with balance, and slowed movement. The disease can also affect your brain processing, causing memory problems, brain fog, and eventually dementia. Although Parkinson’s is incurable, there are several treatment options available. One new treatment for Parkinson’s is giving people more hope than ever.
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In the video supplied by Damien Gath’s wife, Amanda, you can see the effects of this new treatment. Damien could barely function, making simple tasks difficult. His right side was rigid, and he struggles with movement on his left side. After a few days of treatment, he functions almost normally.
Damien’s Parkinson’s treatment program is administered through Sherwood Forest Hospitals. Produodopa treatment involves wearing a portable pump that gradually releases doses of foslevodopa-foscarbidopa. The dual medications work together. Foslevodopa increases dopamine, while foscarbidopa enhances the effects of the foslevodopa and reduces some known side effects.
Damien states that the treatment via pump means the amount of medication in his system does not fluctuate. The regulated levels allow him to function more normally and sleep better. The use of this dual formula has been very successful in making Parkinson’s symptoms manageable.
In the United States, many new and innovative Parkinson’s treatment methods remain unavailable. The process for approving new products for human use is long and arduous. The Michael J. Fox Foundation tracks new treatments and is working to speed up the approval process. It supports research and treatment development and informs people of what is available. As scientists learn more about Parkinson’s disease, we will be able to manage the incurable condition better.
New Advances In Detecting Parkinson’s May Aide In Treatment
Currently, there is no single medical test for Parkinson’s disease. A neurologist identifies the condition with a medical and genetic history review, a study of patient symptoms, and physical examinations. Researchers are working on a test to detect the disease before a patient experiences symptoms. Scientists know that clumps of the protein alpha-synuclein can’t be broken down in the body. As the clumps spread, brain cell damage occurs.
The test was 87.7 percent accurate in identifying Parkinson’s disease and was also effective in identifying people at risk of developing it. Flagging specific genetic markers and early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease means earlier treatment. Because Parkinson’s might be passed through genes, this advancement offers hope to patients and their families. The testing currently uses spinal fluid, which can be problematic for some patients. Scientists are working on a way to conduct the testing with blood samples.
If you know someone suffering from Parkinson’s, please share these innovative new developments.
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