Parkinson’s disease is a debilitating condition, and unfortunately, there is no known cure. However, research is abundant in this area and there are treatment options that can offer incredible benefits for people with Parkinson’s disease.
In this article, we’ll explore Parkinson’s treatment methods, from the least invasive to the most invasive. We’ll also discuss stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s, an advanced non-invasive treatment.
Overview of Parkinson’s Disease: Symptoms and Impact
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a loss of nerve cells in the region of the brain that produces dopamine. The disease affects the entire nervous system and can result in symptoms such as:
- Tremors
- Slow movement
- Muscle stiffness
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disease, which means symptoms start as mild but progress into severe symptoms over time. In addition to physical symptoms, Parkinson’s disease can also result in dementia.
The Spectrum of Treatment Options
There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease at the moment, but there are various treatment options. Parkinson’s treatment methods can range from simple, non-invasive treatments to surgeries and medications with adverse side effects.
Swiss Medica offers stem cell therapy using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), an alternative method that is non-invasive and can provide significant improvements.
Lifestyle Modifications and Supportive Therapies
One way to treat and manage Parkinson’s symptoms is through lifestyle modifications and supportive therapies. These are the least invasive therapies as they usually require lifestyle changes, education on the disease and simple therapeutic exercises. Some lifestyle modifications for treating Parkinson’s include:
- Regular exercise
- A healthy, balanced diet
- Proper sleep
Physiotherapy can help people with Parkinson’s cope with physical symptoms such as muscle stiffness. Speech therapists can help people with Parkinson’s recover from speech impairments.
Pharmacological Treatments
There are several pharmacological treatments available for Parkinson’s disease. Each medication comes with its own set of risks and side effects, so it’s important to consult with the doctor to see which medication fits best for you.
Parkinson’s medication affects the region of the brain responsible for dopamine production. Dopamine agonists are one type of medication used to treat Parkinson’s. Medications such as levodopa can help increase dopamine levels in the brain, reducing symptoms of Parkinson’s.
Advanced Non-Invasive and Minimally Invasive Procedures
Stem cell therapies are minimally invasive procedures for treating Parkinson’s disease. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be obtained from blood marrow, fat tissue, umbilical cord or placenta, and the treatment requires only an injection of the stem cells.
MSC therapy is effective for Parkinson’s disease because MSCs contain cytokines and growth factors, which protect existing neurons and promote the growth of new neurons. Furthermore, the immunomodulating properties of MSCs can treat neuroinflammation in people with Parkinson’s.
Most treatments for Parkinson’s are aimed at stabilizing dopamine levels but don’t address neuron damage. MSC therapy aims to restore neurons in the brain to slow the progression of the disease and treat the root cause of symptoms.
There is some controversy surrounding stem cell therapy, as embryonic stem cells are obtained from human embryos. Some studies also show risks associated with embryonic stem cell therapy. However, MSC therapy does not share the same ethical concerns and has very few side effects.
Surgical Interventions and Experimental Therapies
The most invasive forms of Parkinson’s treatment are surgical interventions and experimental therapies. These treatment methods may improve symptoms but also come with risks and may not be available for everyone with Parkinson’s.
One surgical intervention is called deep brain stimulation. It involves implanting a pulse generator into the brain tissue. The pulse generator sends the current to the part of the brain affected by Parkinson’s, helping to ease the symptoms.
Gene therapy is an experimental therapy that may be able to treat Parkinson’s disease. It uses a carrier molecule to deliver a therapeutic gene to the affected cells. Researchers believe that gene therapy is capable of altering the way neurons function and preventing the death of dopamine-producing cells.
Gene therapy is still in clinical trials and therefore treatment is not widely available. Safety and efficacy are undetermined.
In conclusion
In the case of a victim, that may be people with Parkinson’s disease, the symptoms experienced are jerking and rigors, signs that may progress and become worse as the condition advances. Currently, there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but the treatments range from non-invasive treatments like physiotherapy to invasive measures manifested in forms like deep brain stimulation.
Many of the treatments simply modulate dopamine and treat the symptoms in fact it’s very important to consider something like MSC therapy, which doesn’t just repair the neurons but grows new neurons and so forth, and slows the progression of the disease.
