What are Movement Disorders?

Movement disorders are characterized by too little movement or too much movement or irregular movement. They include Parkinson’s disease and its look-alikes (atypical parkinsonism such as progressive supranuclear palsy-PSP and multiple system atrophy-MSA), essential tremor and other tremor disorders, Huntington’s disease,  dystonia (abnormal twisting postures in different body parts), chorea (abnormal fidgety movements), myoclonus (abnormal jerky movements), Tourette’s syndrome and other tic disorders, spasticity, restless legs syndrome, normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), and ataxia (poor balance with unsteady gait). Many movement disorders can be accompanied by thinking and memory impairments that can lead to dementia, mood problems such as depression and anxiety, sleep problems, and abnormal regulation of inner organs (autonomic dysfunction) leading to constipation, urinary problems, and blood pressure drops upon standing up.

Such complex disorders requires wide breadth of expertise. The movement disorders care provider team includes several neurologists with specific training in movement disorders and an advanced nurse practitioner who work closely with clinical pharmacists, registered nurses, and a social worker. The care providers consult with psychiatrists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, geneticists, and neuropsychologists as needed in separate or same day appointments in select cases (Multidisciplinary Clinic). We provide advanced medical treatment for all movement disorders, botulinum toxin injections for dystonia and spasticity, and deep brain stimulation (DBS) in collaboration with neurosurgery (Dr. Jeremy Greenlee) for select patients with Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, and dystonia.