Is there any treatment for Parkinson's Disease
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There
is no cure for Parkinson's disease. Many patients are only mildly
affected and need no treatment for several years after the initial
diagnosis. When symptoms grow severe, doctors usually prescribe
levodopa (L-dopa), which helps replace the brain's dopamine. Sometimes
doctors prescribe other drugs that affect dopamine levels in the brain.
In patients who are very severely affected, a kind of brain surgery
known as pallidotomy has reportedly been effective in reducing
symptoms. Another kind of brain surgery, in which healthy
dopamine-producing tissue is transplanted into the brain, is also being
tested. Finally, researchers are trying to identify substances that
will prevent dopamine-producing brain cells from dying.
A variety of medications provide dramatic relief from the symptoms, but
no drug can stop the progression of the disease. In some cases, surgery
is an appropriate treatment. Some doctors recommend physical therapy or
muscle-strengthening exercises.
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