Specific treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD) will be determined by your doctor based on:
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Your age, overall health, and medical history
- Extent of the condition
- Type of condition
- Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
- Expectations for the course of the condition
- Your opinion or preference
We have yet to find a cure for Parkinson's disease. However, based on the severity of the symptoms and medical profile, the doctor will establish an appropriate treatment protocol. Treatment for Parkinson's disease may include the following:
- Medications
- Surgery
- Complementary and supportive therapies, such as diet, exercise, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy
Medication for Parkinson's
Once the diagnosis of PD has been made, the next decision is whether a patient should receive medication based on his or her condition. No two patients react the same way to a given drug. It takes time and patience to find an appropriate medication and dosage to alleviate symptoms.
Surgery for PD
Based on the severity of the condition and the medical profile, your movement disorders specialist may recommend surgery as one treatment option for Parkinson's disease.
The primary surgery to treat Parkinson’s disease is called deep brain stimulation (DBS). It is aimed at helping the tremor or rigidity that comes with the disease and is performed by the movement disorders specialists at Inova.
DBS can help symptoms of Parkinson's, but it does not cure the disease or stop the progression of the disease. In some patients, surgery may decrease the amount of medication that is needed to control the symptoms.
With deep brain stimulation, a small electrode is placed in the critical parts of the brain that help to control movement. The electrode is attached to a small battery in the chest wall and is connected by wires that are placed under the skin. The stimulator is then turned on and interrupts the abnormal flow of information in the brain to help to decrease symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Deep brain stimulation boasts on average:
- 80 to 90 percent of improvement to patient scores
- 60 percent reduction in medications
- 60 percent reduction in dyskinesias
- 80 percent improvement in "off" periods
- 10 percent improvement in "on" periods
Learn more about deep brain stimulation (DBS) at Inova 
Contact us
Call Inova Movement Disorders Program at 703-845-1500 for more information on specialty Parkinson's and parkinsonism care, as well as details about deep brain stimulation.