Deep brain stimulation (DBS)

Movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, essential tremor and dystonia can have a profound negative effect on your health and happiness. The uncontrolled tremors, stiffness and shuffling gait that often accompany these neurological conditions can make daily life challenging.

At HonorHealth, neurologists explore a variety of treatment options. If the symptoms of your movement disorder can't be managed with medication, then deep brain stimulation may be the right treatment approach for you.

What is deep brain stimulation?

Deep brain stimulation uses a small electrode that's surgically implanted deep within the brain in an area called the subthalamic nucleus. Much like a pacemaker that helps regulate heartbeats, deep brain stimulation uses electrical currents to help regulate the abnormal brain impulses that cause uncontrolled physical movements. Over time, the specialists can adjust — or "program" without further surgery — the electrical signals from a DBS stimulator.

Among the many neurological conditions that may be treated using deep brain stimulation are:

• Chronic pain
• Dystonia
• Epilepsy
• Essential tremor
• Parkinson's disease