Parkinson’s Disease is part of a group of common neurodegenerative diseases that occur due to damage to specific brain neurons responsible for coordination and precise muscle control, , and can be addressed through approaches like parkinson ayurveda.

Neurodegenerative disorders affecting brain cells slowly damage the nervous system. These disorders develop over time, with symptoms usually appearing later in life.

Parkinsonism is a group of diseases that includes types of Parkinson’s Disease – Typical and Atypical, and Secondary forms of Parkinsonism. 

Parkinson’s Disease accounts for nearly 80% of all Parkinsonism and typically presents with symptoms like tremors, stiffness, and slow movement (motor symptoms). Symptoms like constipation, a reduced sense of smell, sleep disturbances, reduced facial expressions, and a low voice (non-motor symptoms) can appear years before clinical diagnosis.

This disorder results from damage to the nerve cells that produce dopamine within the body. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter necessary for smooth and coordinated muscle movements. Degeneration in these neuronal pathways is due to the toxic accumulation of clumps of proteins known as Lewy bodies. The most common treatment modality for Parkinson’s Disease centres on increasing the levels of dopamine by providing its precursor Levodopa or inhibitors of dopamine breakdown. As the disease worsens, higher doses of Levodopa are needed, which causes motor side effects and abrupt changes as a response to Levodopa.

Apollo AyurVAID uses the Precision Ayurveda approach to manage Parkinson’s Disease. It emphasises the root cause and the individual’s specific imbalances. This personalised treatment offers three significant clinical advantages:

Slowing Disease Progression: Ayurveda may help alter the neurodegenerative process from the early (prodromal) stage onward.

Reducing Side Effects: Ayurvedic interventions can effectively decrease the incident rates and the severity of these side effects associated with conventional Parkinson’s Disease therapies.

Improving Non-Motor Symptoms: Ayurveda manages many symptoms related to sleep disorders, constipation, anxiety, and even cognitive decline, thus uplifting the general quality of life.

Conventional medicine focuses on managing motor symptoms by employing dopaminergic drugs like Levodopa to supplement the loss of dopamine levels in the brain’s striatum. However, if taken for a long time, Levodopa can produce side effects in the form of dyskinesias (involuntary movements) and dystonia (muscle stiffness) and doesn’t modify the course of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Parkinson ayurvedic treatment is being explored as a complementary approach to help manage symptoms and improve quality of life. Patients may experience a wearing-off effect, whereby symptoms reappear before the next scheduled dose of medication, thus becoming more challenging to manage over time.

The Apollo AyurVAID treatment philosophy centers on a multi-modal treatment potential, including symptomatic relief, disease progression control, and improved quality of life. Outcomes may vary from patient to patient; however, most patients can expect the following outcomes:

• Improved Parkinsonism-Related Symptoms
  Improved mobility, posture, gait, balance, speech, writing skills, and function
  Reduced rigidity and tremors 
  Reversal of slowed movement step by step 
  Improved and maintained mental sharpness
• Delay in Disease Progression
  Slower progression of neurological symptoms
  Increased bioavailability of dopamine drugs, especially in wearing-off periods
  Potential delay in the need for invasive interventions.
• Optimising Levodopa’s Therapeutic Window
  Ayurveda addresses variability in Levodopa’s effectiveness by:
  Using digestive herbs that improve its absorption and delay its gastric emptying
  Applying gut-balancing procedures like Basti for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
  Appropriate dietary modifications that address protein interference and improve Levodopa absorption
• Improvement of Overall Health and Wellbeing
  Better digestion and better sleep, along with reduced stress and anxiety
  Simultaneous comorbidities management (Such as high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic inflammation, obesity, etc.).