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Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s disease is an age-related, progressive neurological disorder caused by a lack of dopamine. Treatments for Parkinson’s focus on symptom management as there is no cure yet.

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Symptoms

You may experience:

Tremors in your head, jaw, arms, hands, or legs.
Moving slowly (bradykinesia)
Rigid or stiff muscles
Issues with your balance and coordination

Some people have:

Difficulty speaking
Swallowing problem (dysphagia)
Sleeping problems (insomnia)
Issues smelling things (anosmia)

Cause

Parkinson’s disease occurs when the part of your brain responsible for movement (basal ganglia) becomes damaged. The nerve cells in this area die or cannot function properly, which prevents dopamine production.

Without dopamine, you start struggling to control your movements. You may experience tremors in your head, jaw, arms, hands, or legs. Other symptoms include moving slowly (bradykinesia), rigid or stiff muscles, and issues with your balance and coordination. Some people have difficulty speaking, swallowing (dysphagia), sleeping (insomnia) or smelling things (anosmia).
Diagnosis

There are no tests to diagnose Parkinson’s, but our neurologist can perform a thorough assessment to confirm a diagnosis. The assessment may involve a physical and neurological exam, evaluating your symptoms and medical history, and a single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan. We may also perform imaging or blood tests to rule out other conditions.

We can then tailor our treatment plan to your symptoms. Treatments include medications, supportive therapies, and surgical procedures.
Treatment

We can prescribe medication that raises your dopamine levels, such as Levodopa, or prevent the breakdown of dopamine. This helps you regain control over your movements.

If medications are ineffective, you may benefit from deep brain stimulation (DBS), a form of brain surgery. During DBS, we use electrical signals to stimulate the areas in your brain linked to movement. We usually reserve this for advanced cases. After DBS, you may have more control over your actions.

Various forms of therapy may also help you manage the effects of Parkinson’s: speech and language, occupational, and physiotherapy. These therapies may improve your overall quality of life and ability to adjust to your condition.

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10 Harley Street
London W1G 9PF
United Kingdom

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Call: 07954 847 479