Deep Brain Stimulation
Mary Kane was first diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 16 years ago. The 57-year-old suffers from symptoms like tremors, slowness of movement and rigidity. When the medication she had been taking for years stopped helping, she had to undergo a dramatic awake brain surgery.
Ref. ABC Nightline
I cannot imagine having to have a surgery like this!
I have a friend who suffers from this disease though and I guess if it would heal him or make him even a little better than his quality of life is now, it would be worth it. I have watched him deteriorate over the past few years and it is a sad thing to witness.
So if you are awake can you feel it as well? Or do they just use some other kind of pain blocker?
They use a local pain blocker to get past the skull. Once inside they do not need to use pain blockers because you have no pain sensors in the brain. I know this is something I am not sure I would want to do. I guess if you have a disease that is causing you problems you would want it fixed. If this was your final option I would probably do it too.