What Is Parkinsons Disease
Parkinsons disease is a gradual degenerative neurological disease that primarily affects dopamine-producing neurons in an area of the brain known as the substantia nigra, resulting in unintentional or uncontrollable movements such as shaking, rigidity, and trouble with balance and coordination.
Motor symptoms such as tremors at rest, stiffness, bradykinesia, and gait abnormalities are hallmarks of Parkinsons disease.
The onset of symptoms is often slow and progressive. Patients may experience mobility issues and speech impairments as their disease worsens.
Changes in mood and behavior, trouble sleeping, sadness, memory loss, and exhaustion are also possible.
The onset of symptoms is typically localized to one side of the body or one leg. The sickness finally spreads to both hosts and causes death.
Nonetheless, it is possible that one side of the body is experiencing more severe symptoms than the other.
Parkinsons disease presents itself and progresses at different rates in different people. The earliest manifestations of this illness are subtle and develop over time.
While anybody is at risk of getting Parkinsons, certain studies have found that men are more likely to be diagnosed with the condition.
The exact cause is unknown, but researchers are looking at what can put someone over the edge of vulnerability. Age is an apparent risk factor. Those above the age of 65 make up over 70% of those who are diagnosed with Parkinsons.
Our Approach To Parkinsons Disease
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy decreases inflammation, oxygenates the entire body, stimulates the growth of new healthy blood vessels, and releases stem cells, up to 800% more after 20 sessions! Research suggests that HBOT can improve neurological outcomes by increasing enzymes in the body that protect cells and prevents neuronal damage. It has also been shown to decrease depression, anxiety, and tremors in patients with Parkinsons Disease.
QEEG & Neurofeedback Therapy
A Quantitative EEG shows us electrical activity of the brain. We will be able to see if inflammation is present, if there are any areas of hyper- or hypoactivity, and any areas of disconnect. Using this information, we approach Parkinsons Disease with an intensive NFB program of two thirty-minute sessions per day for ten days, focusing on the area of the brain most affected, those that affect motor function, sensory, and/or emotional regulation.
Glutathione
Research has shown that Parkinsons patients may not have enough glutathione to combat the oxidative stress in the brain. By maintaining glutathione levels in the brain, we can decrease the number of injured cells. Research has shown that IV glutathione can improve speech, hypomimia, rigidity, pronation and supination of hands, posture, gait, balance, and hypokinesia. Glutathione has antioxidant properties that help protect cells in the brain and may slow disease progression.
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Iv Therapy For Parkinsons Disease:
We highly recommend our glutathione IV due to the GSH deficiency that has been observed in Parkinsons Disease . This deficiency is present in the substantia nigra of patients with PD, and the level of deficiency appears to be correlated with disease severity.
GSH is the bodys master antioxidant. It directly protects your cells from the oxidative stress that causes cellular damage in the SN. Without appropriate levels of GSH, your cells are at an increased risk of damage from free radicals and oxidative stress. Thankfully, studies have shown that replenishing intracellular GSH levels can prevent oxidative damage and maintain mitochondrial function in dopaminergic cells, which are the main cells damaged in PD. While GSH IV treatment cannot prevent the occurrence of symptoms, it significantly slows down the occurrence of symptoms and improves existing symptoms.
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Characteristics Of Parkinsons Disease
Parkinsons Disease is the second most frequent neurodegenerative disorder, affecting 2-3% of the populations ages 65 and older. Traditional treatment methods are typically focused on relief from motor symptoms. Research shows overwhelming evidence that oxidative stress has a major role in neuronal degeneration. This, combined with an imbalance in antioxidant defense and repair mechanisms may lead to the loss or death of neurons in the part of the brain that plays a critical role in motor movement. Up to 40-60% of patients with Parkinsons Disease often experience symptoms of anxiety and depression as well, which can worsen the neuromotor symptoms of Parkinsons Disease.
- Tremors at rest
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Treats Parkinsons Disease
If you are a resident in and around Morris County, New Jersey, and you are suffering from Parkinsons disease symptoms, there is an excellent new form of therapy that you can avail of easily.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy treats Parkinsons Disease by reducing symptoms and improving general well being.
HBOT USA is conveniently located in the heart of New Jersey and has top-of-the-line Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy facilities.
Studies have demonstrated that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can improve blood flow to the brain and other tissues that arent getting enough oxygen on their own, a process known as angiogenesis and neuroplasticity.
This is important because of how Parkinsons Disease affects the brain.
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Hyperbaric Therapy As Treatment For Parkinsons Disease
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy decreases inflammation, oxygenates the entire body, stimulates the growth of new healthy blood vessels, and releases stem cells, up to 800% more after twenty sessions! Research suggests that HBOT can improve neurological outcomes by increasing enzymes in the body that protect cells and prevents neuronal damage. It has also been shown to decrease depression, anxiety, and tremors in patients with Parkinsons Disease.
Source:
Parkinsons disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly that is characterized by typical motor symptoms such as resting tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, and gait disturbances . The conventional therapy using levodopa and dopamine agonists for Parkinsons disease focuses primarily on relieving motor symptoms. Another therapy for Parkinsons disease includes chronic exercise . However, it is difficult to completely prevent the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons with these therapies.
Exposure to mild hyperbaric oxygen at 12661317 hPa with 3545% oxygen increases the level of oxygen in blood, especially the oxygen dissolved in blood plasma, and facilitates oxidative metabolism in the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle in cells and tissues . Metabolic syndrome , lifestyle-related diseases , and arthritis are inhibited and/or improved when rodents are exposed to mild hyperbaric oxygen.
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Post Traumatic Stress Anoxic Brain Injury / Near Drowning Cerebral Palsy Multiple Sclerosis Stroke Lyme Disease Migraine Headaches Alzheimers Disease Parkinsons Disease:
HBOT research suggests that it may be a valuable adjunctive therapy for mTBI, PTSD, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Lyme Disease and other neurological conditions. HBOT has been found to improve the cerebral metabolic rate, reduce cerebral edema, improve cerebral blood flow and reduce cerebral spinal fluid lactic acid levels.
Based on current thinking about the biology of Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Sclerosis, HBOT may be a valuable adjunct to conventional therapy.
In the case of Lyme Disease, it has been demonstrated the bacteria responsible for Lyme Disease, Borrelia burgdoferi, can survive in oxygen at sea level, but cannot live in an environment of high pressure oxygen. It is also known that this particular bacteria can become sequestered in cells and the cells may protect it from antibiotics, resulting in chronic Lyme Disease and persistent neurologic symptoms. In a study of 90 patients diagnosed with Lyme Disease unresponsive to antibiotics, the use of HBOT resulted in a significant decrease or elimination of symptoms and improved quality of life for 85% of patients.
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Glutathione And Hbot To The Rescue
Glutathione is a powerful natural anti-oxidant, and patients with PD have a dangerously low level of glutathione in the affected area of the brain. HBO acts as a modality to boost stores of this protective antioxidant, which not only guards against further damage, but also enhances the function of surviving neurones.
Treating Parkinsons Disease With Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Approximately 40-60% of people with Parkinsons disease also experience psychological symptoms.
Care for patients with Parkinsons is complicated by the fact that psychiatric disorders can worsen the diseases neuromotor symptoms.
Previous studies have shown that the patients quality of life is diminished, and the caregivers burden is increased when psychiatric symptoms are comorbid with Parkinsons disease.
There is a lack of effective treatments for the psychological difficulties experienced by Parkinsons patients.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been shown in numerous studies over the past few decades to slow the progression of vascular dementias like Alzheimers and Parkinsons.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy treats Parkinsons Disease through an increase in oxygen supply and tissue oxygen partial pressure , a decrease in cerebral swelling, improved tissue healing and angiogenesis, and a boost in metabolism.
Mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy, with concentrations ranging from 35 to 45% oxygen, elevates blood oxygen levels, notably the oxygen-dissolved blood plasma, and promotes oxidative metabolism in the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle in cells and tissues.
Twenty sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy can increase stem cell release by as much as 800%, reduce inflammation by 90%, and increase new blood vessel formation by 70%.
Because of this, conditions including metabolic syndrome, arthritis, and other lifestyle-related disorders improve.
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Adaptation Of The Neuromuscular System
Exposure to mild hyperbaric oxygen facilitates oxidative metabolism, particularly in pathways such as the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle, thus enhancing the oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle fibers and the spinal motoneurons innervating them . Growing rats exposed to mild hyperbaric oxygen exhibited greater voluntary running activities compared to those maintained under normobaric conditions the oxidative capacity of muscle fibers and the innervating spinal motoneurons in rats increased after exposure to mild hyperbaric oxygen .
Reduction in skeletal muscle mass is one of the most striking features of the aging process . Atrophy and reduced oxidative capacity of the skeletal muscle have been observed with age . Muscle atrophy in aged rats is associated with reduced activity levels of certain enzymes involved in oxidative metabolism . An age-related decrease in oxidative capacity of the skeletal muscle in mice was reported to be reversed by exposure to mild hyperbaric oxygen as much as by exercise in aged rats . Exposure to mild hyperbaric oxygen has an advantage over exercise since it can increase the dissolved oxygen content owing to the enhanced atmospheric pressure and/or increased oxygen concentration, which does not occur in exercise. Therefore, it is concluded that exposure to mild hyperbaric oxygen reduces the age-related decrease in oxidative capacity of the skeletal muscle due to the improvement in oxidative metabolism .
Hypoxia As A Novel Treatment For Parkinsons Disease
Study Rationale:Many anecdotes suggest that people with Parkinsons disease can experience a marked improvement in symptoms when they travel to the mountains or during flights at high altitude. This remarkable effect may be explained by the lower levels of oxygen which according to interesting laboratory work can stimulate the production of dopamine, the chemical compound missing in the brains of people with PD. Repeated exposure to brief periods of hypoxia may even stimulate the brains dopamine system to adjust itself in a beneficial way.
Hypothesis:Hypoxia could be a new treatment for Parkinsons disease, to improve symptoms and perhaps to slow down the disease progression.
Study Design:In Study A, we will test four different treatment protocols of hypoxia and one control condition , to determine how hypoxia can best improve the symptoms of Parkinsons disease. This study involves 15 participants tested in a special laboratory where we can carefully check the clinical effects plus the safety of this new treatment. The most promising hypoxia protocol will then be tested in Study B, where 20 participants are treated at home, three times a week, for four weeks. Twenty other participants receive a treatment that appears identical but with normal oxygen levels . We will assess the safety and feasibility of this home-based treatment, determine whether longer treatments provide greater benefit, and evaluate how long the improvements last after the treatment.
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Hyperbaric Oxygen Alleviates Tremors
- 5 PD suffers all underwent HBO, all 5 patients reported a decrease in tremors and an overall improvement in general wellbeing.
- The benefit appeared to sustained for approximately up to 5 months from the original treatment.
- And if the benefit disappeared at some point, re-establishment of HBO introduced the benefits again.
- There were no complications
- The group reported balance cerebral glucose metabolism, which indicated an improved oxygenation and energy production of the injured brain.
Perspectives On Exposure To Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen
Exposure to mild hyperbaric oxygen is effective for elderly people, those with physical disability, as well as injured athletes, since no special movement needs to be performed under mild hyperbaric oxygen conditions. In future, exposure to mild hyperbaric oxygen may be investigated for: prevention and improvement of dementia, improvement of functional imbalances of autonomic nerves, e.g., menopausal disorders and emotional instability, maintenance and improvement of immunity, health, and physical fitness, and early recovery from an injury. Further studies are required to solve these problems and define a useful protocol for exposure to mild hyperbaric oxygen.
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What Is Parkinsons
Parkinsons disease is a brain disorder that leads to shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with walking, balancing and coordination. The symptoms of Parkinsons usually begin gradually and get worse over time.As the disease progresses, people may have difficultly walking and talking.Parkinsons disease is caused by the degeneration of neurones in the area of the brain that manufactures dopamine, a neurotransmitter that affects movement.
Research has shown that HBO can help those suffering from PD, from better wellbeing to alleviating tremors. Clinical trials show no complications of PD suffers undergoing Hyperbaric Oxygen, and trials report the individuals feel comfortable and safe within the chamber.
Hyperbaric Oxygen is an empowering treatment for those suffering with PD, compared to a huge regime of medication.
We recommend that if you or someone you love are looking to use Hyperbaric Oxygen for PD, that you also book a glutathione and vitamin C IV alongside as an adjunct treatment. The combination of HBO and glutathione IV has shown incredibly promising results in improving PD symptoms and even slowing down progression.
We also recommend supplementation of co-enzyme Q1, vitamin E, fish oil, curcumin, creatine, vitamin D and N-acetyl-cystein.
What Hbot Can Do
he symptoms of Parkinsonâs can vary in type and severity therefore it can be difficult to predict results. Often HBOT has been discovered effective by âaccidentâ as in the case where a diabetic patient tried HBOT for a foot ulcer but found that the treatment vastly improved his Parkinsonâs symptoms. After 50 years of HBOT treatment we do know that hyperbaric oxygen will not worsen PD. Numerous animal studies have shown that HBOT works as an anti-inflammatory and may be used in this way to alleviate the symptoms of PD.
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Common Treatments For Parkinsons Disease
The main symptoms of Parkinsons disease, such as tremors, shaking, and difficulty moving, can be treated with medication.
Levodopa is the primary treatment for Parkinsons disease. Levodopa is used by nerve cells to synthesize dopamine, which is then used to restore the brains natural supply.
The medicine carbidopa is typically taken in conjunction with levodopa. Carbidopa lessens the severity of levodopas negative effects on the body, such as nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, and agitation.
It also decreases the dosage of levodopa required to achieve the desired therapeutic effect. Dopamine agonists and monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors are two other common treatments for Parkinsons disease that aim to improve motor symptoms.
However, not all of the available treatments are helpful for everyone, and each has its own set of side effects, both immediate and cumulative.
Damage to dopaminergic neurons is a common cause of mental symptoms in Parkinsons patients.
While its origins remain mysterious, most research points to genetics and the environment factors.
Medication might slow or stop the loss of dopamine-producing neurons, but theres no guarantee it will stop it altogether.
Levodopa and other dopamine agonists are not without their side effects. In the early stages of PD treatment, patients may have nausea, vomiting, and orthostatic hypotension in the later stages of the disease, patients may experience dyskinesia, visual hallucinations, and mental problems.
The Power Of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Inducing neuroplasticity and enhancing neurological and cognitive capabilities, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is an innovative biological treatment method.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has shown promise in treating the neurodegenerative symptoms of Parkinsons disease.
In a hyperbaric chamber, patients can breathe 100% oxygen as part of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
The interior air pressure is increased so that it is greater than the atmospheric pressure outside.
When the oxygen content of the air is high, and the atmospheric pressure is high, the lungs are able to take in more oxygen, and there is more oxygen in the blood plasma.
Tissues that need it to repair and fight off infections benefit from increased oxygen delivery from increased blood oxygen levels.
During treatment, the patient will spend 90-120 minutes per day lying on a bed inside a hyperbaric chamber.
Many doctors recommend a series of 20 sessions for new patients. Depending on how far along the wound is and how many complications have arisen, treatment times may need to be stretched out even further.
Diving to depths of 3345 feet below sea level is mimicked inside a pressurized cylinder filled with 100 percent oxygen. Because of the boost in pressure, more oxygen may be dissolved into the plasma .
The oxygen content of the air we breathe averages around 21 percent. In a hyperbaric chamber, patients can expect to breathe in oxygen concentrations of about 200 to 240 percent.
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Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy For Parkinsons Disease:
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be beneficial for those with Parkinsons Disease due to its ability to reduce oxidative stress, decrease neuroinflammation, and improve mitochondrial function.
In people with PD, oxidative stress contributes to the degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra . The SN is the part of the brain involved in physical movement, so degeneration of these neurons can cause physical symptoms like tremors, slow movements, muscle stiffness and loss of automatic movements. HBOT is known to decrease oxidative stress, which may help relieve neuronal damage and the resulting physical symptoms.
Oxidative stress also leads to dysregulation of the inflammatory response, which is associated with the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as PD. HBOT upregulates defense mechanisms that help decrease neuroinflammation, therefore it may aid in reducing risk of PD disease progression. HBOT also improves mitochondrial function, something which is believed to be damaged in those with PD.