Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Program
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Parkinson's and Movement Disorders
Life can be very challenging for people who live with movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, spasticity and Huntington’s disease. Each day, an estimated 40 million Americans cope with physical symptoms, emotional issues, social stigmas and other concerns related to these disorders.
| The specialized team of the Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Program at Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people who face these challenges. The program offers the most comprehensive care available in the region, helping people with movement disorders to live fuller lives. Because movement disorders don’t just affect the person who is diagnosed, the program actively involves family members in all aspects of care. |
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Knowledgeable and experienced team members — neurologists, neuropsychologists, neurosurgeons, a physiatrist, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, a social worker and speech-language pathologists — evaluate and treat the entire range of movement disorders, from the common to the rare.
Movement disorders are neurological conditions — disorders of the nerves and the nervous system. These chronic conditions affect a person’s ability to control the way his or her body moves. Symptoms vary widely from person to person and from day to day.
In general, movement disorders are caused by changes to regions of the brain that control movement. The cause of these changes is often unknown. The two basic types of movement disorders are:
- Hypokinetic disorders (too little movement / slowness of movement)
- Hyperkinetic disorders (too much movement / excess, unwanted movement)
All Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders team members have special training in movement disorders. They work together to coordinate patient care, using the latest proven therapies to enhance patients’ quality of life. Treatments range from medication to physical, occupational therapy and speech therapy, which includes the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment® to restore speech and Botulinum toxin to control muscle spasms. The program also offers deep brain stimulation (DBS), the only surgical treatment for movement disorders in the area. DBS is a treatment offered by the Restorative Neurosciences Program.
Research is an important part of the program’s comprehensive care. As members of the Parkinson Study Group and the Huntington Study Group, Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin participate in national clinical trials to find new ways to treat these disorders. Currently, patients with Parkinson’s disease have opportunities to participate in a variety of clinical research trials at Froedtert & The Medical College.
Patients may be referred to the Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Program by their physician, or they may contact the program directly by calling Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin at 414-805-3666 or 800-272-3666. Many patients contact the program to seek a second opinion about their diagnosis and treatment options.
To ensure patients receive comprehensive care, the program provides 24-hour on-call physician coverage for emergencies. Team members also accommodate patients with urgent needs for symptom control (related to their medication); appointments for urgent needs are scheduled on a case-by-case basis.
Author: Frank Lococo Date: Sep. 3, 2008 |
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