Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s disease damages your brain, affecting movement, balance, speech, and other critical functions. If you are suffering from such symptoms , visit Dr. Farhad Elyaderani at his offices in New Rochelle, New York. Dr. Elyaderani is a board-certified neurologist with 30 years of experience diagnosing and treating this disabling condition. Call the office to arrange a Parkinson’s disease evaluation, or complete the online appointment booking form today.

What is Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition affecting the brain. The cause is unclear, but it develops when dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra part of the brain die out in significant numbers.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that (among other things) controls muscle movements. As Parkinson’s disease progresses, the dopamine-producing neurons die, dopamine levels fall, and you experience poor muscle control.

Parkinson’s disease affects around one million people across the United States, and there’s no cure yet. The condition isn’t fatal, but without treatment, it can cause life-changing complications.

What symptoms does Parkinson’s disease cause?

Common Parkinson’s disease symptoms include:

• Shaking hands, jaw, head, arms, and/or legs
• Limb and body stiffness
• Difficulties walking and balancing
• Reduced coordination
• Slowed movements
• Difficulty sleeping
• Depression
• Memory loss
• Fatigue

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive illness where symptoms develop slowly over the years.

How is Parkinson’s disease diagnosed?

No single lab test can diagnose Parkinson’s disease. However, Dr. Elyaderani’s expertise in nervous system conditions enables him to make a diagnosis based on your symptoms, medical history, physical exam, and neurological tests.

He may also request a dopamine transporter scan — a single-photon emission CT scan that can help with Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. You might need blood tests and/or an MRI, ultrasound, or PET scan to rule out other conditions.

What treatments are available for Parkinson’s disease?

There’s no cure for Parkinson’s yet, but Dr. Elyaderani offers comprehensive treatments that lessen the condition’s effects.

Medications can help with walking, other movement problems, and tremors. The following medicines increase your dopamine levels or act as dopamine substitutes:

• Carbidopa-levodopa
• Dopamine agonists (pramipexole and rotigotine)
• Monoamine oxidase B inhibitors (selegiline and safinamide)
• Catechol O-methyltransferase inhibitors (entacapone and opicapone)
• Amantadine
• Adenosine (A2A) receptor antagonists like istradefylline

Carbidopa-levodopa is the most effective Parkinson’s disease medicine. You can take it orally, use a nasal spray, or have an intravenous infusion.

Physical therapy for Parkinson’s disease focuses on balance, stretching, and aerobic exercise. A speech-language therapist can help with communication difficulties.

Another effective treatment is deep brain stimulation. Dr. Elyaderani implants electrodes into your brain connected to a small generator unit in your chest near the collarbone. The stimulator sends electrical pulses to your brain that can help reduce Parkinson’s disease symptoms.

Call Dr. Farhad Elyaderani to arrange a Parkinson’s disease evaluation or schedule a consultation online today.