A new non-invasive focused ultrasound treatment has brought rapid relief to a Parkinson's disease patient whose severe tremor had plagued him for years. Bud Leavell, 72, found the shaking that had stopped him repairing radios in his garage largely disappeared within minutes of receiving the therapy, illustrating the potential of the treatment to restore quality of life for people with debilitating motor symptoms.

The therapy, focused ultrasound, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in January 2026 to treat the primary motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, including tremor, stiffness and slowness. Dr Bhavya Shah, a neuroradiologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, discussed the treatment, which works non-invasively and can produce near-immediate improvement, offering a new option for patients whose symptoms have resisted other therapies.