The progression of HD cannot be reversed or stopped. Drugs can control clinical symptoms of the disease, but may have adverse side effects. Antipsychotic medication can alleviate chorea, but it may worsen muscle contractions. Antidepressants or tranquilizers may treat depression or other personality changes, but they may cause fatigue, restlessness, or hyper excitability. A doctor will be able to work with the dosage amounts of medication to ensure that the patient receives the maximum benefit from the drugs with the least side effects. A neurologist will be able to help an HD patient manage their symptoms.
Do not isolate a person with HD. It is very important to keep them socially engaged, and as active as possible. Speech therapy may help this process, as well as physical therapy to maintain fitness. Finally, maintaining nutritional health is very important, so provide assistance if necessary to assure that you receive adequate nutrition and fluid.
The future holds some hope for the treatment of HD. There is a multitude of fetal tissue research underway, and doctors are hopeful that genetic engineering may provide some answers for HD in the future.
