TMS is an FDA-approved non-invasive treatment option that has successfully transformed the lives of patients with Parkinson's disease.

At Neurology, Psychiatry and Balance Therapy Center, our team treats patients with a full range of neurological, psychiatric, musculoskeletal and vestibular conditions that require the care of a neurologist, psychiatrist, physical therapist, and / or vestibular therapist.


We help with Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Parkinson's Disease, Dizziness, Vertigo, Vertigo Caused by Vestibular Neuritis, Vestibulitis, Labyrinthitis, Peripheral Vestibulopathy, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), Imbalance, Concussion, Migraine, Neurology, Psychiatry, Physical Therapy, Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy & Balance Therapy.

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive neurological disease in which certain brain cells called dopaminergic neurons are damaged over time. This decreases the amount of a messenger chemical in the brain called dopamine which is very important for controlling the body’s movement and other brain functions. In Parkinson’s disease the result of this loss of dopaminergic neuron function results in the following abnormal movements:


  •  Slowness of movements
  •  Movements becoming smaller
  •  Rigidity or difficulty moving due to over active muscles
  •  Freezing of movements
  •  Tremor


Parkinson’s disease effect on movement can lead to:

  •  Imbalance and falls
  •  Slow, shuffling steps when walking
  •  Forward bent posture
  •  Increased time to do simple things such as dressing or getting a meal

Some other problems people with Parkinson’s disease can have include:

  •  Depression
  •  Loss of cognitive function such as slowed thinking and difficulty with attention
  •  Dementia
  •  Low blood pressure
  •  Disturbed sleep
  •  Anxiety


In addition to Parkinson’s disease there are other disorders that share many of these features and are referred to as parkinson-plus syndromes. These include multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) to name a few.


It all sounds very grim, but there is good news. With the right treatment people with Parkinson’s disease can live long, healthy, and active lives. Effective treatments include medication, physical therapy, exercise, and deep brain stimulation.

Medications replace lost dopamine to improve the function of brain circuits.


Physical therapy and exercise will have different positive effects depending on the stage of the disease. Early on, even before Parkinson’s disease is detectable, they can help protect vulnerable dopaminergic neurons from getting damaged. When symptoms begin or when there has been moderate progression of symptoms, the activity from physical therapy and exercise can repair damaged dopaminergic neurons. In the advanced stages, physical therapy and exercise help to get the brain to improve the use of undamaged brain cells to make up for the ones that aren’t functioning. Thus, these treatments can help at any stage of the disease, but the sooner you start them, the more effective they are at improving function and slowing disease progression.


Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical procedure where a neurostimulator device is implanted on the skull and electrodes are implanted in specific areas of the brain. The neurostimulator sends electrical impulses into those parts of the brain to improve movement.


Here NPBTC we can diagnose your condition and get you started on the right treatments as soon as possible.
As a neurologist and a psychiatrist Dr. Sonya Knight can diagnose your condition and help to manage most aspects of your condition such as the problems with movement, cognition, depression, and anxiety. She will determine if medication therapy is appropriate for you and prescribe the right medications if necessary. She can also help determine if deep brain stimulation is an appropriate treatment.
With physical therapy specifically we can help improve your ability to walk, balance, and do the activities you need and want to be able to do. We can also help you get set up with the most effective exercise program for managing your condition. Our physical therapists have been trained in programs that have been proven effective for helping people with Parkinson’s disease. Both Dr. James Barsky and Lisa Beitman, PT, MPT are certified by LSVT GLOBAL, Inc and PWR! to provide treatment for individuals with movement disorders related to Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders using the LSVT BIG™ and PWR! Exercise4BrainChange programs respectively.


At the very least, if you have Parkinson’s disease or are worried about getting it, start exercising!