Parkinson’s Disease
Intro: As we all age, we notice our once abled bodies being unable to perform like they once could or find ourselves being faced with chronic health problems.
1. The increasing number of aging American’s, specifically the baby boomer generation, are contributing to the influx of newly diagnosed diseases and the numbers have never been greater than they are today.
2. Some of these diseases are caused by our lifestyles or by genetic predispositions, while others have no known cause.
3. Most American’s are not aware of the signs and symptoms or treatment options available for a majority of prevalent chronic health problems today and are unaware of the better treatment options, improved quality of life, and outcomes, if…show more content… Prescribers give levodopa, which is converted into dopamine, in order to increase dopamine levels in the body. ii. Levodopa can be given alone, but is almost always given as a combination with carbidopa because it prevents the premature conversion of levodopa to dopamine, before reaching the brain, and also helps prevent nausea and vomiting, which is a common side effect of levodopa.
b. The only surgical option available to patients with Parkinson’s is an implantable device called a deep brain stimulator, or DBS. (What is Parkinson’s Disease?)
i. According to Dr. Gaw, “A DBS is like a pacemaker for your brain. It uses electrodes that are implanted in the affected portion of your brain and are wired to the pacemaker, or electrical stimulus generator, implanted under the skin on the upper chest.” ii. “It helps control abnormal signals from the brain to the body, reducing or eliminating the abnormal movements associated with Parkinson’s. “
Transition: The tragic reality is that Parkinson’s is a devastating diagnosis and is incurable
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1. Regardless of the treatment option patients choose to utilize, the best they can hope for is the delicate balance of successfully managing the symptoms while keeping the side effects to a