Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive, degenerative disease affecting the brain and a person's fine motor control. As this disease moves forward, tackling even the very smallest of tasks can be downright impossible. Fortunately, you may be able to improve the overall efficacy of your entire treatment plan by simply opting to work with the best neurologist in MN.
To start, a lot of PD patients are solely reliant upon dopamine replacing drugs. These drugs replace the chemical that the body is no longer properly producing or regulating on its own. They help foster higher levels of coordination so that patients can live fairly normal and comfortable lives.
Even when taking these medications, however, PD patients can continue to suffer from issues such as dystonia, burning sensations throughout the entire body, other forms of nerve-related discomfort, and an ability to steady their hands. As such, it is important to find a doctor who can prescribe secondary drugs and various forms of therapy for enhancing overall life qualities.
One such therapy is the use of injectable neurotoxins. These are FDA-approved medicines that can be inserted into areas that are stiff, spastic, or constantly moving. As an example, if PD causes the neck to twitch and constantly moves the head, injectable neurotoxins can help mobilize this area for an increased sense of normalcy and a greater ability to successfully engage in everyday activities.
Stiffness, dystonia and general fatigue can make hard for PD patients to get up and stay moving. Without sufficient exercise, however, many people find that their problems start progressing at a significantly more rapid rate. You can work with a neurologist to discover strategies for boosting your energy levels through proper diet and feasible forms of exercise.
It may be that you are having a hard time finding the best foods for supporting your health due to your ailment. Many of the most common medications do not work well when people choose protein. Finding high-quality foods that provide all of the necessary amino acids can be essential for boosting energy, preventing deficiency, and staving off deficiency-related side effects such as anxiety and depression.
Another key factor in PD treatment is finding alternative medications to supplement dopamine replacing drugs. There are a number of experimental options currently entering the market. Your doctor can take a needs-specific approach to determining whether or not these alternative forms of drug therapy are right for you. This includes determining whether you want standard or extended-release medications for dopamine replacement. This is often critical given that L-dopa drugs are a key part of ensuring normalcy for those who suffer from this issue.
One major challenge in treatment for this ailment is extending the lifetime and efficacy of key medications. This can be done by challenging the body, and by naturally building new neural connections to replace any old and damaged one. Neurologists help their patients accomplish this by identifying and recommending challenging and brain-stimulating exercises and activities for fostering continued improvement. With solutions such as these, you won't be just slowing the progression of your illness; you will also be actively fighting against it.