Parkinson's Disease And Drugs

When administering drug treatment for patients with Parkinson's disease, it is important to bear in mind that no two people with this disorder are exactly the same and that they will each have a different mix of the symptoms. Therefore, in view of this, prescribing drugs for the treatment of Parkinson's is done to suit each individual in terms of the dose administered and the intervals at which it is taken.

Further, the rate of progression of the disorder and the type of effect it has on the patient can vary tremendously from person to person.

Whilst Parkinson's disease has no known cure at this moment in time, the main purpose of the drug treatments is to try to control the symptoms, ie, the tremors, rigidity and slowness of movement.

To understand how the treatment works, it is important to learn what causes Parkinson's disease in the first place.

In Parkinson's sufferers, a chemical messenger called "dopamine" is severely reduced due to damage to these dopamine producing cells. Our bodies use dopamine to send messages to different parts of our bodies that control our co-ordination and our ability to move. When dopamine levels are severely reduced, this causes tremors, a slowness of movement and muscle stiffness - all the symptoms of Parkinson's. In fact these symptoms tend to occur when about 80% of these dopamine producing cells have ceased to function properly. And, needless to say, the levels of dopamine will continue to decrease over time for sufferers of Parkinson's.

Vast improvements can be seen in many patients who have been recently diagnosed with Parkinson's and have been given one or more anti-parkinsonian drug treatments. The drug treatments currently on offer aim to stimulate parts of the brain where dopamine works and also to increase levels of dopamine reaching the brain.

One of the main drugs used for the treatment of Parkinson's is "levadopa". Levadopa is a natural amino acid that is converted into dopamine by the brain. Dopamine itself cannot be transferred from blood stream to brain - but levadopa can.

Sometimes, drug treatments are not the way to go. For example, if someone has very mild symptoms of the disorder, then the GP or consultant may take a view of postponing the drug treatment temporarily and bringing in some lifestyle changes instead - these may involve exercise, better diet and nutrition and relaxation therapies.

Some of the therapies that can be effectively used to aid in the management of Parkinson's are speech therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

A brief outline of each follows:

Physiotherapy involves using exercise and manipulation (of body parts). It can help greatly in teaching you about good posture and the proper ways to sitting, walking and turning. Usually, referrals to physiotherapists have to be made through your GP.

Language and Speech Therapy

Therapists trained in language and speech specifically deals with problems encountered with speech and the ability to swallow. They can aid in finding ways of improving the quality of your speech and to overcome problems such as clarity of voice and low volume.

Occupational Therapy

These professionals are able to look at a person's home living conditions or work conditions and then find different ways of making these places more amenable and less dangerous. This can be done by rearranging furniture or just changing the way in which a patient will approach a task.





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