This article explores comprehensive strategies for managing dyskinesia, emphasizing medication management, movement tracking, and dietary adjustments. It highlights treatment options such as extended-release levodopa, glutamate antagonists like amantadine, and lifestyle modifications to improve patient quality of life. Proper monitoring and professional guidance are essential for optimal outcomes.

Effective Management of Dyskinesia: Treatment Options and Care Strategies

Strategies for Controlling Dyskinesia

Managing dyskinesia can vary based on disease progression. Some patients stop levodopa, which is often associated with dyskinesia, but this may cause symptoms like tremors and rigidity to return. Physicians typically aim to find a balanced approach by adjusting medication doses carefully. Others continue levodopa to avoid Parkinson’s complications, despite the risk of dyskinesia. Treatments include medication optimization, movement tracking, and dietary adjustments to enhance well-being.

Various therapies are available for managing dyskinesia.

Medication Optimization

Using extended-release levodopa formulations helps minimize peak-related side effects. Dividing doses into smaller, more frequent portions maintains stable medication levels. Drugs that slow levodopa breakdown or delivering levodopa-carbidopa gel directly to the intestine can provide more consistent dopamine levels. Additionally, amantadine, a glutamate blocker, can be effective in controlling dyskinesia by modulating glutamate activity. It can be administered orally or via infusion.

Monitoring motor symptoms with a daily diary is crucial—tracking medication intake, meal times, symptom occurrence, and fluctuations helps clinicians optimize treatment. Dietary considerations matter; high-protein foods can interfere with levodopa absorption. Consuming medication 30 minutes before meals or adjusting protein intake to evenings can enhance treatment efficacy. Always seek medical advice before making dietary adjustments.