What Is DBS Therapy?
Essential Tremor
Medtronic Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Therapy for Essential Tremor is safe and effective when used for appropriate patients, and has been proven to reduce tremors associated with essential tremor.1
What It Does
Medtronic DBS Therapy delivers electrical stimulation to an area in the brain to help treat essential tremor. Electrical stimulation is used to treat tremor in an upper extremity of the body. You may be a candidate for this therapy if you have essential tremor not adequately controlled by medications and the tremor is disabling.
How It Works
During DBS Therapy, a small, pacemaker-like device sends electronic signals to an area in the brain that controls movement. These signals block some of the brain messages that cause annoying and disabling motor symptoms.
The device is placed under the skin in the chest (not in the brain). Very thin wires connect the device to your brain to enable the signals to reach the source of your symptoms.
What to Expect During Therapy
Following the procedure, your doctor adjusts the settings to optimise the therapy for you. Getting the initial settings right for you may take several sessions. Over time, your settings are then adjusted as your symptoms change.
Most people don’t feel the stimulation at all as it reduces their symptoms. Some people may feel a brief tingling when the stimulation is first tuned on. A few weeks after the procedure, you can go back to your normal daily activities.
Always following your doctor’s instructions, you can gradually try activities that had become difficult for you.
Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.