How is parkinson's disease dignosed and treated?

Clinically: Parkinson's disease is diagnosed by clinical signs and symptoms. The four key features of Parkinson's are tremor, slow movements, stiff limbs and a shuffling slow gait. Treatment begins with medications, and patients with advanced disease may be candidates for surgery. There is no cure at this time, but the disease typically progresses very slowly over 10-15, even 20 years.

Meds For Treatment: Dopamine meds are mainstay of treatment. Modern therapy recommends longer lasting, milder potency meds first: Azilect (mao-b selective inhibitor) & Dopamine agonists (requip xl/mirapex er/neupro). After they've been maximized & stronger meds ate needed to adequately manage symptoms, then sinemet +/- Comtan (stalevo (carbidopa and levodopa and entacapone) is both together) are begun. Tailor rx with side effects in mind for each person.

Even DBS surgery!!: Deep brain stimulation therapy of the stn (sub-thalamic nucleus) or gpi (globus pallidus interna) can greatly improve "on" time (good function with minimized symptoms) & greatly reduce dyskinesia (twisting, writhing, jerking movements during "on" time). Good candidates must be not demented, psychiatrically stable, & still demonstrating good symptom relief from meds, but with inconsistent results.