These treatments address symptoms that traditional medications may not.
BOTULINUM TOXIN INJECTIONS
Indications
- Drooling
- Dystonia
- Spasticity
- Tremors
Drug names
- Botox
- Xeomin
- Myobloc
- Dysport
Treatment
- Solution is easily injected in the office.
- Effects last for approximately three months.
Side effects
- From overdose
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty breathing
MRI-GUIDED FOCUSED ULTRASOUND
Indication
- There’s a medication-resistant tremor in one hand, usually the dominant one.
- Treatment does not address any symptom other than a tremor.
Treatment
- An ultrasound beam is aimed at a specific area in the brain that generates the tremor, burning a small hole about the size of a grain of rice.
- There is no incision or hardware implanted in the body.
Side effects
- Impaired balance
- Slurred speech
- Side effects are usually temporary but may be permanent
DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION (DBS)
Indication
- May be an effective treatment for many Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms when medications lose their effect or cause intolerable side effects
- Very effective for tremor and dyskinesia but not for speech or balance issues
Treatment
- A small hole is drilled into the skull and a wire electrode is implanted into various parts of the brain, depending on the symptoms.
- The brain electrode is connected to a generator the size of a small hockey puck.
- The generator is implanted under the collarbone.
- The generator sends electrical impulses to the brain electrode, resulting in improvement of the PD symptoms.
- DBS settings can be fine-tuned to treat particular symptoms and minimize side effects.
- The settings can be changed to address evolving symptoms.
Risks
- Because DBS is a surgical procedure, it carries the risk of bleeding and infection since hardware is implanted inside the body.
- Out-patient surgery is required every 3-5 years to change the generator battery located in the chest wall.

More on Parkinson's Disease
Drug Induced Movement Disorders
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Read MoreAutonomic Abnormalities in Parkinson’s Disease
The nervous system does not work properly and is unable to regulate body functions.
Read MoreAdvanced Treatments For Parkinson’s Disease
Advanced treatments that address symptoms that normal medications may not.
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