Movement Disorder Care
Wellstar provides specialized care to help people with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders manage their symptoms and live better.
Specialized Care for People with Movement Disorders
Conditions we treat
There is a varied list of movement disorders that the qualified neurology team at Wellstar can diagnose. Once this initial stage is complete, we’ll work with you to create a management plan that helps alleviate symptoms. We offer care for:
- Essential tremor
- Restless legs syndrome
- Parkinson's disease
- Ataxia
- Tourette syndrome
- Tremor
- Huntington's disease
- Dystonia
- Corticobasal degeneration
- Hyperkinetic movement disorders
- Multiple system atrophy (MSA)
- Myoclonus
- Progressive supranuclear palsy
- Spasmodic torticollis
- Tardive dyskinesia
- Wilson's disease
Symptoms of movement disorders
Not all movement disorders progress the same way or have the same symptoms. Some hardly impact daily life, while others can be debilitating. Common movement disorder symptoms include:
- Body stiffness, especially in arms and legs
- Slow movement
- Inability to move
- Muscles that involuntarily tighten or contract
- Difficulty swallowing or speaking
- Cognitive or behavioral issues
- Body tremors
Movement disorder diagnosis & care
Should you experience any common movement disorder symptoms, consult with your primary care physician to learn if seeing a neurologist is the right move for you. One of our highly-skilled neurologists who specializes in movement disorders can help you get diagnosed. During your evaluation, your doctor will look at your medical history and may decide to run some additional tests, including:
- Blood tests
- Electrocardiogram (EKG)
- Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- Electromyography
The majority of these tests look at the electrical activity within a certain part of the body. You may also need to get an MRI or PET scan. Once a diagnosis is confirmed, your movement disorder specialist will share highly-personalized care options to manage your symptoms. We work with you to create a personalized care plan that may include medication, surgery or physical therapy. With the right treatment strategy, it may even be possible to regain lost function.
Locations
Augusta Content Below
About
Movement disorders happen when your nervous (neurological) system misfires causing abnormal involuntary movement. Augusta University Health has the area's only Movement Disorders Clinic and is designated as a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence. We deliver coordinated movement disorder care, all in one central location, for patients from Georgia, South Carolina and the Southeast who suffer with these conditions.
Why Choose Us
We provide exceptional clinical diagnosis, treatment and care, not only for Parkinson’s disease, but also for many other movement disorders, including dystonia, essential tremor, Huntington’s disease, and Tourette’s syndrome. We offer:
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Multidisciplinary care teams: Your team is made up of neurologists, , neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists and neuroradiologists, with support from occupational therapists, physical therapists, psychiatrists, and speech pathologists, all coming together to create a care plan for your specific condition.
- Dedicated Parkinson's disease care: We specialize in treating all aspects of Parkinson's in patients at our movement disorders clinic.
- Clinical research: We are also actively involved in offering patients a chance to participate in cutting-edge research and clinical trials in the hopes of improving quality of life.
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Comprehensive patient care: We provide educational information for patients and caregivers, as well as, support group meetings.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Most of the time, movement disorders cannot be cured. However, early diagnosis and targeted treatments can help patients manage their condition throughout their life. Our neurological services include:
- Neuropsychological evaluations, to assess adult brain function.
- Sleep disorder evaluations and treatment, of sleep disorders related to Parkinson’s disease or parkinsonism.
- Physical, occupational and speech therapies, to increase muscle strength and coordination and to help patients regain lost functionality.
We also provide advanced treatment options, including:
- Botulinum Toxin (Botox) injections and other medications, to control tremors and other symptoms.
- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), for tremors and other symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
- Radiosurgery, at the Gamma Knife Center, using targeted radiation to treat areas of the brain that affect movement.
Patient Resources
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Vertigo & Dizziness in Parkinson's Disease
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AU Health's Movement Disorders Clinic featured the Jennie Show
We were recently featured on our local news channel (WJBF's) Jennie Show.