Parkinson’s patient considers deep brain stimulation therapy that could lower medication needs

San Antonio – Elva Brown has been dwelling with Young-Onset Parkinson’s for 13 years.

The 61-year-old by no means idea she’d believe surgical procedure, however as her illness progresses, she’s strongly taking into consideration deep brain stimulation therapy.

“I want to be able to not shuffle when I walk. I want to be able to get from here A to B in a zip instead of a three-minute walk from now. I want to be able to do things for myself and not have to ask for help all the time. It’s difficult when you have to ask people to help you,” she stated.

Brown’s neurologist, Dr. Juan Ramirez-Castaneda with Methodist Physicians, stated she’s a just right candidate for the therapy.

“Deep brain stimulation is pretty good at controlling the tremor, the slowness, the stiffness that people with Parkinson’s may have,” he stated.

But most significantly, for some sufferers, it decreases medication use.

The surgical procedure puts electrodes throughout the patient’s brain, electric circuits into portions of the brain that keep an eye on motion, stimulate that a part of the brain, and assist keep an eye on signs of tremor, slowness and stiffness.

“As long as somebody is insured, these types of treatments are well covered by insurance, whether that is Medicare or commercial insurance,” Ramirez-Castaneda stated.

He fears that many sufferers who’re eligible for the therapy aren’t trained on the way it could trade their lives.

A unfastened tutorial match is being hung on Saturday, Oct. 28, at The Multi-Assistance Center at Morgan’s Wonderland. Registration is needed. Click here to be told extra.