Parkinson's Center Zihlschlacht

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurological disease that affects areas of the brain that control movement. The disease is one of the most common neurological diseases and often occurs later in life. Characteristic symptoms are muscle tremors, restricted movements or stiffened muscles. In addition to the motor symptoms, affected people can also suffer from non-motor symptoms such as depression, sleep disorders or digestive disorders. Parkinson's disease is mainly treated with medication, but non-medication methods are also used. As the disease progresses differently in each affected person, an individualised approach is necessary.

Our medical specialists guarantee our patients comprehensive and targeted care:

• Treatment of the cardinal symptoms (slowness of movement, muscle tension/stiffness, involuntary tremors, balance disorders).
• Targeted treatment of accompanying symptoms that affect patients and their environment (e.g. speech, voice and swallowing disorders, blood pressure fluctuations, excretory problems, bladder dysfunction, psychological problems, etc.).
• Differential diagnostic and therapeutic evaluation with medication adjustment on an inpatient basis.
• Assistance in coping with everyday life activities, particularly by improving movement safety, but also by adapting the patient's individual environment.
• Relief for patients and their family environment.
• Improving patients’ quality of life by enhancing increased independence and greater autonomy.
• Care of patients with atypical Parkinson's syndromes such as multisystem atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy or other neurological movement disorders.
• Initiation or fine-tuning of therapy with remotely controlled apomorphine, duodopa or Lecigon pumps; injections of botulinum toxin.
• Indications for surgery in collaboration with specialised centres and post-operative follow-up care, e.g. fine-tuning of brain stimulators.

We offer a wide range of therapies specially tailored to the needs of our Parkinson's patients:

• Physiotherapy
• Sports therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Robot-assisted therapy
• LSVT LOUD and BIG
• Speech therapy (speech and swallowing therapy)
• Physical therapies
• Neuropsychology
• Orthoptics
• Water therapy
• Complementary therapies such as Qigong and acupuncture

Click here for detailed information on individual therapy services!

• Comprehensive information for patients and relatives, e.g. as part of weekly training sessions and family groups.
• Comprehensive social counselling (aids; relief options for patients and relatives), advice on professional reintegration if necessary.
• Specific Parkinson's care with individual training in care measures, e.g. incontinence material or pump training, under the professional supervision of Parkinson's nurses.
• Combination of inpatient and outpatient therapy, e.g. further outpatient therapies and specialised outpatient Parkinson's consultations in Zihlschlacht and Zurich.
• Close collaboration with Parkinson's Switzerland and various universities in terms of events and research projects.

The Rehaklinik Zihlschlacht offers additional diagnostic measures in addition to clinical assessment with standardised monitoring of the effect of therapy using movement protocols.

As part of inpatient treatment, we administer the following diagnostic tests among others: 

• ECG 
• Laboratory diagnostics 
• Schellong test 
• Bladder scan
• Urological consultation
• Neuropsychological testing
• L-Dopa test
• MRI skull (external at Münsterlingen Cantonal Hospital) 
• DAT scan (external at Münsterlingen Cantonal Hospital if indicated)