Treating Advanced Parkinson's Disease with Surgery

Parkinson's disease a motor system disorder that is debilitating to the patient. It causes the body to do things that it wouldn't normally do. This includes excessive twitching and loss of balance, to name just two affects of the disease. There is no known "cure" for the disease but there is ongoing research being done to help alleviate the symptoms of the disease. A surgical method has been proven to help at least some victims of Parkinson's disease though.

This method of treatment is actually an implant according to an article on WebMD. The implant is placed in the brain to keep the electrical waves that cause the Parkinson's type movements from occurring. This surgery has risks, as with all surgeries, but provides a great deal of hope for those who suffer from this disease. Using this surgery on Parkinson's patients is done in conjunction with medications for the disease.

DBS (deep brain stimulation) is the given name to the surgical procedure for advanced Parkinson's patients. Deep brain stimulation surgeries have been around for about ten years to date. Many people have undergone the surgery and there has been on death due to the surgery. This is a risk that you take when going into any operating room for any type of surgery though. An article on the Michael J. Fox.org website states that the surgery has currently been used for patients who are no longer well-served by Parkinson's Disease medications.

Many people that are good candidates for deep brain stimulation surgery have not yet received the treatment. There is a fear due to the risks that are involved. The risks of the surgery do not outweigh the benefits that the surgery can provide to the patient though. It is well worth considering the surgery if it aids in decreasing the motor skill problems associated with the disease itself.

The implant is much like a pacemaker for the heart. The difference is that it helps the brain and is placed there rather than in the heart and it is much smaller in size than a heart pacemaker. If you had a heart condition and a pacemaker could make the difference in your quality of life, you wouldn't hesitate to get it. The same should hold true if you are in the advanced stages of Parkinson's disease. There will always be a risk associated with surgery. The idea of being able to have a more stable lifestyle is worth giving deep brain stimulation surgery a second look.