Around one million people in the United States are living with Parkinson’s disease, and with an approximate 60,000 people being diagnosed per year, that number is expected to jump to 1.2 million by 2030.
There is no cure for Parkinson’s, and the course of treatment depends on a person’s symptoms. But while there is no cure, years of scientific and medical research have discovered new ways to treat the disease that can manage symptoms or slow the progression of the debilitating disease.
Carthage Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has details on four recent advances in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
- Exercise Therapy
Strength training and exercises to improve and maintain posture and balance have always been a part of treatment, but now, a study found that high-intensity exercise helps as well. The clinical trial’s results discovered that high-intensity treadmill workouts three days a week over a six-month period had a meaningful decrease in the progression of the disease.
- Genetic Medicine
It’s believed that the development of Parkinson’s is due to issues within the genes, so there are drugs available and in clinical trials that target specific genes thanks to genetic analysis on a patient. For more information, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.
- Connection to the Gut
A potential link between Parkinson’s and an imbalance of bacteria in the digestive system is currently being investigated. H. pylori, which is commonly found in probiotics, may inhibit the effectiveness of the Parkinson’s drug levodopa. Doctors can test for the level of H. pylori in your system.
- Deep Brain Stimulators
This device is surgically implanted and uses electrical impulses to attempt to improve symptoms that affect motor function, such as rigidity and tremors. This is technology that’s still being developed, as the stimulators cannot be monitored and only rely on patient feedback, but a stimulator that can sense and record signals from the brain was approved in 2020 and is in testing.
To learn more about Carthage Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://carthage-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.
