Parkinson's Disease is a chronic movement disorder of the central nervous system. It is a progressive disease, which means it tends to get worse over time and there’s no cure for it. Individuals with Parkinson's have to adapt to manage their condition and learn to live with it. For those who choose to fight Parkinson's bravely, managing their symptoms, can effectively make their quality of life better, allowing them to lead their lives the way they want. Since movement is central to all life forms, any disease that hampers it makes it difficult for living beings to function and survive.
Even though there’s no cure for Parkinson's, medical science has made significant advancements in its treatment, and that has given those afflicted with it a chance to take control of their lives. However, for optimum care, patients and their caregivers have to be observant of their symptoms, which might change over time and can manifest in the following ways:
Tremors – The most common sign of Parkinson’s, that usually starts at the finger, hand or foot, and as the disease progresses it eventually spreads to the entire body
Stiffness – Muscles in the neck and legs may become too rigid or stiff, impeding movement
Slowed movement (Bradykinesia) - Parkinson’s slows down your body’s ability to move. It starts out slow with issues like unable to walk long distances and gradually progresses to worse levels and can even make it difficult for an individual to get up
Other symptoms – Parkinson’s also impacts internal function and can slow down digestion, memory and speech.
Currently, there are no singular diagnostic tests that can conclusively diagnose Parkinson's. If you observe any or all of the above-mentioned symptoms, seek help from a Neurologist without delay. A Neurologist will refer to your symptoms, family medical history, and a host of tests like MRI of the brain, a dopamine transporter scan (DaT scan), or blood work to determine if you have Parkinson’s. Post a conclusive diagnosis, your doctor might recommend a mixed therapy of medicines and surgery for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) to help you regain control of your life.
In a similar case involving a 48-year-old patient with advanced Parkinson’s, a DBS procedure was undertaken. A DBS procedure uses a small pacemaker-like device, placed under the skin of the chest, to send electrical signals through extensions and very thin wires (leads) to an area in the brain that controls movement. As she had undergone the surgery almost a decade ago, the device’s battery had drained completely; it was unable to monitor the energy requirements of the patient effectively, causing her movements to be stunted and slowing her down in the process. To ensure her device functioned at maximum capacity, we put a sensing brain stimulator device, in the case of the first such procedure in the country, which collects information from the brain on the range of activities that the body performs and the amount of energy it takes. This makes it possible for us to collect accurate data on how much energy is required by the individual and peak times and down times of energy consumption; this enables us to modulate the device’s functioning, allowing us to formulate a plan for optimum treatment. This marks the new frontier in the treatment of Parkinson’s.
DBS offers another advantage by slowing down the progression of the disease. Parkinson’s is a 40-year-old disease that gets worse in the last four to five years of a patient’s life, but if DBS is not done, it progresses fast and gets worse within five years of diagnosis. Worsening symptoms of tremors, stiffness, and memory loss make it impossible for them to lead normal lives. DBS enables patients to lead a normal life for at least the next 30 years. If a patient was diagnosed at 50, with DBS they can lead a normal life till at least 70, without it, they will start showing declined health at just 55.
The progress made by modern medicine in treating conditions like Parkinson's has given a new lease of life to many. The sensing brain stimulator device that we implanted marks the next frontier in Parkinson’s treatment as it allows us doctors to personalize therapy for the best possible outcomes. Parkinson’s takes a lot away from an individual; in its final stages, it robs them off their ability to move, speak, think, and remember, reducing them to a shell of their former selves, and even though we cannot cure this condition, with the help of these procedures we can keep people from having to experience the very worst till the absolute end, and that is a cause for hope.
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