Levodopa is the gold standard of treatment. It helps replace dopamine. Unfortunately, it becomes less effective after several years of use. Supplementary medications can delay the wearing-off effects of Levodopa or make it more potent. When patients no longer respond to medications, surgical procedures are sometimes used to destroy small amounts of brain tissue in order to reduce Parkinson's symptoms such as chronic tremors.
Doctors also recommend exercises and physical therapy to improve mobility and coordination.
Several innovative research projects are looking at ways to slow or halt the progression of Parkinson's. Approaches include evaluating new drugs and drug-delivery devices, brain tissue transplants and gene therapy. August's Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource reports that there is now some good news to counter the bad. Researchers compared 455 postmenopausal women who hadn't used HRT with 47 postmenopausal women who had. All of the women had been diagnosed with breast cancer.