Tailored Physical Therapy For Parkinson’s Disease
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Parkinsonâs Disease, then chances are good that a doctor has reiterated the importance of movement and staying active. This degenerative brain disorder affects the motor system, leading to tremors, stiffness, and loss of balance however, our Victoria, TX, interventional pain management physicianDr. Wilson Almonte and his team of high-trained and experienced physical therapists provide physical therapy to patients with Parkinsonâs disease to help them keep moving and living their lives as best they can.
Laurice Yang Md Mhaclinical Associate Professor Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Dr. Laurice Yang received her bachelors degree in Molecular Cell Biology at the University of California in Berkeley. Subsequently, she earned a masters degree in Health Administration at the University of Southern California where she received the high honor as a Dean Merit Scholar. She went on to obtain her medical degree from the University of Vermont and completed her neurology residency at the University of Southern California where she was appointed Neuroscience Chief Resident and spent the year revamping the entire medical student/resident education curriculum. She completed her clinical training as a movement disorders fellow at the University of California in Los Angeles.
Dr. Laurice Yang is a board certified neurologist, specializing in the diagnosis of movement disorders including Parkinsons disease, atypical parkinsonian disorders, Essential Tremor, and Huntingtons disease. Dr. Yang has a particular interest in dystonia and spasticity and has been trained to perform botulinum toxin injection under ultrasound guidance to better ensure accuracy and efficacy with each procedure.
Dr. Yang is also passionate about medical education and serves as the Co-Director for the Medical Student Year II Advanced Clinical Skills. She also has a background in healthcare administration and is currently the Associate Physician Improvement Leader, the Assistant Clinic Chief and the Associate Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs in the Department of Neurology.
Y Joyce Liao Md Phdprofessor Ophthalmology And Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Dr. Liao is a physician scientist who has clinical and research expertise on the diagnosis and treatment of visual dysfunction – a common problem in patients with movement disorders. These issues include double vision, eye movement abnormalities, and vision loss. For her training, Dr. Liao graduated from Harvard University in Biochemical Sciences and received her MD and PhD in Neuroscience from University of California San Francisco Medical Scientist Training Program. She completed her clinical training in neurology at Stanford and neuro-ophthalmology fellowship at University of California, San Francisco. For her research, Dr. Liao has been supported by many grants, including a K08 award from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, Career Award in Biomedical Sciences from the Burroughs Wellcome Foundation, Weston Havens Foundation, Center for Biomedical Imaging, and the McCormick Award. Her research has been recognized by the Investigator of the Year Award from the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society and the S. Weir Mitchell Award from the American Academy of Neurology.
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Kim Bullock Mdclinical Professor Psychiatry & Behavioral Science
Dr. Bullock is certified in the subspecialty of Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry. She runs an outpatient Neuro-Behavior Clinic and Laboratory with special emphasis on non-pharmacological interventions and evidenced-based psychotherapies for problems such as psychogenic seizures. Her focus is cognitive behavior group therapy and she trains residents, psychology students and therapists in these methods. She currently is investigating the use of group dialectical behavior for non-epileptic seizures.
Parkinsons Disease/tremors Treatment At Houston Physicians Hospital
According to the Parkinsons Foundation, more than 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with the condition each year. One of the most debilitating and immobilizing neurological disorders there is, Parkinsons disease affects the nerve cells in the brain that are responsible for the production of dopamine. This essential chemical messenger is essential in coordinating seamless muscle movements. Parkinsons causes dopamine levels to gradually deteriorate causing abnormal brain activity.
The two biggest reasons why the condition worsens over time are when someone is diagnosed late or they are misdiagnosed. If left untreated, Parkinsons disease may cause chronic impairment, hallucinations, and excruciating pain.
But, with timely detection, diagnosis, and treatment and the latest therapies, patients can resume normal activities and greatly delay the terminal stages of the disorder.
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Right At Homes Trained Care Experts Can Help
If you are one of the 1 million Americans with this chronic condition, you know that symptoms generally develop slowly over the years. Our goal is to be there for you as the disease progresses, providing as much or as little care as needed. Right at Homes specialized home care teams know just how to work with the muscle stiffness and tremors to help prevent frustration and falls. We also help individuals with Parkinsons disease stand strong with these beneficial caregiving services:
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How Can Medical Marijuana Treat The Symptoms Of Parkinsons Disease
The anti-inflammatory properties that the cannabinoids and tetrahydrocannabinol in medical marijuana contain can help reduce the symptoms of Parkinsons disease. Many Parkinsons disease patients who use medical marijuana report improved sleep quality, physical function, and pain reduction.
Dr. Camp may recommend medical marijuana if you frequently experience:
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Treatments For Parkinson’s Disease
While there is still no cure for Parkinson’s Disease, management by a Parkinson’s Disease Specialist often results in many years of good quality of life. Levodopa remains the most effective medication available for the symptoms of PD. It can be found in the medications Sinemet, Parcopa and Stalevo . However, because chronic use of levodopa can lead to a different kind of abnormal movement called “dyskinesia”, many Neurologists try to limit this medication as much as possible. Depending on the symptoms of the patient and their other health problems, many other kinds of medications may be used. The most commonly used group besides levodopa are the “dopamine agonists” including ropinerole and pramipexole .
Kristen K Steenerson Mdclinical Assistant Professor Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Kristen Steenerson is a board-certified neurologist with fellowship training in otoneurology. Her specific interests include Vestibular Migraine, Benign Paroxysmal Positional vertigo, Ménière’s Disease and Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness. Her goal is to work in tandem with Movement Disorders specialists to help address the unmet need in balance disorders through the comprehensive evaluation and care allowed by the Stanford Balance Center, jointly addressing the junction of inner ear and brain disorders.
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Sarah Kahn Ms Rnnurse Coordinator
Sarah earned her BSN from the University of Arizona and an MS from University of California San Francisco. Her Composition paper outlined the difference between medical therapy and DBS in Parkinson’s disease patients and was inspired by her time at the San Francisco VA Parkinsons Center during graduate school. She previously worked on a cardiac and stroke unit at John Muir health. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, Pilates, and scuba diving.
A Range Of Advanced Treatments For Parkinsons
What sets the Parkinsons Disease Center of Central Massachusetts apart is the comprehensive nature of care provided. Not only will patients find the latest approved therapies, they will also benefit from a rehab therapist schooled in the best physical therapy protocols for Parkinsons treatment. The Center is also dedicated to providing the best experience possible for patients and referring physicians from medication refills to working closely with insurance companies. In addition, Dr. Sommer is experienced in deep brain stimulation therapy and has a working relationship with area surgeons who provide device implants. Following surgery, patients can receive their follow-up care locally with Dr. Sommer for greater convenience.
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Jessica Truelove Ms Cnp
Jessica Truelove graduated from Miami University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She graduated from The Ohio State University in 2015 with a Master of Science in Nursing and became certified as an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. She began working at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in the Department of Neurology in the autumn of 2015. She received specialized training with the Cognitive Disorders and the Movement Disorders divisions. She is part of the research team in both divisions. She is a member of the International Movement Disorders Society, American Academy of Neurology, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses.
Parkinsons Disease Atypical And Secondary Parkinsonism
- More severe tremors in both hands
- A slowing of movement
- Dragging the feet
- Difficulty in writing
- Muscle stiffness or rigidity
- Medications can trigger the condition, including from amphetamines, calcium channel blockers and drugs used to treat nausea and major psychiatric disorders like psychosis
- Repeated head trauma
- Some neurodegenerative disorders such as multiple system atrophy and progressive supranuclear palsy
- Exposure to toxins like carbon monoxide, cyanide and organic solvents
- Some brain lesions or tumors
- Metabolic disorders such as chronic liver failure and hypoparathyroidism
- Lewy body dementia
Diagnosing Parkinsons Disease Treating Parkinsons Disease
- The combination of carbidopa and levodopa is used to introduce more dopamine to the brain.
- Dopamine agonists mimic the effects of dopamine in the brain.
- MAO-B inhibitors prevent the breakdown of brain dopamine.
- Catechol O-methyltransferase inhibitors prolong the effect of levodopa therapy.
- Oral medication, such as Botox®
- Deep brain stimulation
- Intrathecal administration of baclofen
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Victoria Tanoury Msn Npnurse Practitioner
Victoria Tanoury is a board-certified Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of Parkinsons Disease, essential tremor, Huntingtons disease, and general movement disorders. She has an extensive background in programming and management of deep brain stimulation for the treatment of Parkinsons disease and essential tremor. Victoria received her bachelors degree in nursing at the University of Washington in 2009 and worked for 8 years specializing in neurology, neurosurgery and movements disorders. In 2014, she passed the neuroscience nursing exam to become a certified neuroscience nurse accredited by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification. In 2019, Victoria obtained her masters degree in nursing at UCSF as an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner.
Thomas Montine Md Phdprofessor And Chairman Of Pathology
Dr. Montine is the founding Director of the Pacific Northwest Udall Center, one of 9 NINDS-funded Morris K. Udall Centers of Excellence for Parkinsons Disease Research. Our center performs basic, translational, and clinical research focused on cognitive impairment in Parkinsons disease. The Pacific Northwest Udall Center emphasizes a vision for precision health that comprises functional genomics, development of surveillance tools for pre-clinical detection, and discovery of molecularly tailored therapies.
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Finding The Right Movement Disorder Specialist
Having the right partnership with your doctor can make a difference, not just in managing your Parkinsons symptoms but also in how supported you feel overall. Its important for you to feel confident in that relationship and to have access to a treatment team that meets your needs.
Finding a good movement disorder specialist is a lot like hunting for a good dentist or a good mechanic: You need to ask around. Your primary care doctor or neurologist may be a good place to start. Or ask people in your support group, if you attend one, whom they see. You can also try contacting one of the national Parkinsons organizations.
In choosing a doctor, consider how much the doctor knows and how well the doctor listens. Remember, no two cases of Parkinsons disease are alike. Having a doctor who understands this, and who listens to you, is crucial.
With any Parkinsons doctor, you are a partner in your care. Educate yourself about PD. Parkinsons is different for everyone, and you cant get the best care unless youre specific about what you are experiencing. Its okay to ask why particular treatments or therapies are being recommended , and its okay to get another opinion.
The MDS Movement Disorders Specialist Finder can help you locate a doctor in your area.
What Is Parkinsons Disease
Parkinsons disease is a neurological disorder that affects a patients ability to produce and control body movement. It is chronic and progressive . Usually affecting older adults, Parkinsons leads to severe disability for some people, but others may suffer only minor motor disorders.
In Parkinsons disease, a loss of neurons in the brain results in a reduction of the amount of dopamine, a chemical messenger that helps control muscle movement. Without dopamine, nerve cells cannot properly send messages.
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Who We Are And What We Do:
Dr. Georgia Lea, Dr. Julia Staisch, and Dr. David Houghton are specialty-trained neurologists and Colleen Knoop is a specialty-trained nurse practitioner in the field of Movement Disorders. Dominique Thomas is the Movement Disorders and DBS Program Coordinator.
We see patients with Parkinson’s Disease, Essential Tremor, Dystonia, Restless Legs Syndrome, Huntingtons disease and Tourettes syndrome, to name a few. We are named a Huntingtons Disease Society of America Center of Excellence and are a Parkinsons Foundation Comprehensive Care Center Designation.
We also work in close collaboration with Neurosurgery, Neuropsychology and our allied health partners in several interdisciplinary clinics.
Simon Tan Phdclinical Assistant Professor Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Dr. Tan received his bachelor’s degree at Dartmouth College, doctorate in clinical psychology from Yeshiva University, and completed a pre-doctoral internship at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Tan also completed a post-doctoral fellowship specializing in clinical neuropsychology in both adult inpatient and outpatient settings at the Behavioral Neurology Unit, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Cambridge Hospital at Harvard.
Dr. Tan performs the formal neuropsychologic testing for patients considering deep brain stimulation therapy. This evaluation is an integral part of the preoperative evaluation process.
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Location: Houston Txunited States
Mya Schiess, MD, is a professor in the Department of Neurology at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston , serves as director of the Movement Disorders & Neurodegenerative Diseases Program and program director of the UTMOVE Movement Disorders Fellowship training program. She also holds the Adriana Blood Distinguished Chair in Neurology for Movement Disorders Research, is a board-certified neurologist/movement disorders specialist with decades of experience as a clinical scientist in multiple observational and interventional trials for idiopathic Parkinsons disease.
Dr. Schiess has been researching the role of the peripheral immune system in idiopathic Parkinsons disease for many years. She is actively involved in clinical and translational research in regenerative neurology with stem cell therapies for Parkinson’s disease and other parkinsonian syndromes and neuromodulation with deep brain stimulation. Dr. Schiess is an member of several professional organizations and serves on the medical advisory board for the Houston Area Parkinsons Society.
She earned her medical degree at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and completed her residency in neurology at the University of Texas Southwestern at Dallas.
Staff Neuropsychologist And Associate Professorclinical And Research Neuropsychologist
Dr. Deutsch has special expertise in evaluation of brain function in people with epilepsy. She received her doctoral degree in clinical psychology at Drexel University and completed a pre-doctoral internship the University of Pennsylvania and a post-doctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology at the Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the Staff Neuropsychologist at the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute and Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at Seton Hall University, Graduate School of Medical Education. Her research interests are the neural basis of dyslexia and learning disorders and cognitive disorders in epilepsy.
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Thomas Prieto Phdmedical Physicist
Dr. Prieto received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri at Columbia and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Marquette University. He was Associate Professor of Neurology at the Medical College of Wisconsin before coming to Stanford Healthcare in 2014. He provides technical support for the autonomic testing lab and for the deep brain stimulation surgeries for movement disorders. His primary interests are in instrumentation and signal processing methods for the evaluation of autonomic and movement disorders.
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Effective Care And Advancing Research
Parkinsons disease is a progressive, degenerative disorder of the nervous system that causes people to gradually lose control over movement and other functions. The cause of PD is unknown, and currently there is no cure.
The physicians in UT Southwesterns Movement Disorders Clinic have advanced training and significant experience in managing PD. Our team collaborates with specialists across the medical center to help patients continue living their fullest possible lives, through a combination of treatment and rehabilitation.
UT Southwestern offers coordinated care for patients with Parkinsons, providing the full range of services and support needed to diagnose this illness and manage its symptoms and complications.
Vivek P Buch Mdclinical Assistant Professor Of Neurosurgery
Dr. Buch is a neurosurgeon with fellowship training in epilepsy, functional, and minimally invasive neurosurgery. He is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery of Stanford University School of Medicine.Dr. Buch focuses his expertise on the open and minimally invasive treatment of epilepsy, brain disorders, spinal injury and disease, and other conditions. For each patient, he develops a personalized care plan that is designed to be both comprehensive and compassionate.
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