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Alternative Therapies For Parkinson’s Disease

Implications For Clinical Studies And Updates To The Cpg

Alternative Therapies in Parkinson’s Disease

Rigorous RCTs for individual CAM interventions with adequate statistical power should be conducted, especially in the United States and Europe. The safety and effectiveness of CAM as monotherapy and when used as part of combination therapy should be evaluated in the IPD population. Comparative ranking between included CAM modalities would be helpful which can be suggested through indirect comparison using network meta-analysis method. A consumer group should be included in the Delphi process when updating this CPG in the future. Inclusion of a cost-effectiveness analysis should also be considered when updating this CPG. Finally, when clinically implementing recommendations of the interventions included in this CPG outside Korea, physicians and patients need to consider accessibility and feasibility of the interventions in their medical environment and context.

Development of this guideline was funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute. None of the members of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine or members of each committee and expert panel that participated in the Delphi process has any conflicts of interests in this research.

This guideline will be updated in 2020. In the future update, various CAM interventions not covered in this guideline will be included.

The Difference Between Alternative And Complementary Medicine

The terms complementary medicine and alternative medicine are sometimes used interchangeably. However, they refer to different concepts.

Alternative medicine is used in place of traditional medical care. It has not necessarily been tested in clinical trials. Complementary medicine is used along with traditional medicine.2

There have been research studies on many CAM practices to determine their effectiveness in treating many conditions, including Parkinson’s disease. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not review CAM therapies.2

Alternative Treatments For Parkinsons Disease

Claudia Chaves, MD, is board-certified in cerebrovascular disease and neurology with a subspecialty certification in vascular neurology.

For people with Parkinsons disease, treatment typically involves the use of medications that help minimize movement problems and control symptoms. A disorder of the central nervous system, Parkinsons disease also can be better managed with the help of certain lifestyle changes.

Since many medications used in the treatment of Parkinsons disease can cause severe side effects, patients often seek alternative treatment options.

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Ginseng And Ginko Biloba

Ginseng is a plant substance which has been used in Eastern countries for centuries and is proposed to have anti-inflammatory properties, improve fatigue, and improve cognition. Extract from the Ginko tree or Ginko Biloba, have similarly been used for centuries in countries like China and Korea. In addition to containing anti-inflammatory flavanoids and terpinoids, Ginko extract is thought to exhibit important effects on multiple neurotransmitter pathways including acting as an MAO-Inhibitor , and inhibiting reuptake of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. While neuroprotective effects of these substances have been demonstrated in PD rat models, there are no randomized controlled clinical trials in humans using either ginko or ginseng in this population to guide recommendations.

How Can I Know If An Alternative Treatment Is Safe And Effective

Your Guide to Parkinson

Alternative treatments can be helpful in some cases, yet some therapies can be ineffective, costly, and even dangerous. The best way to evaluate your options is to become educated. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • What is the treatment?
  • What are the side effects?
  • Is it effective?
  • How much does it cost?

Once you answer these questions, weigh your options and decide whether the benefits outweigh the risks.

If you do decide to try an alternative treatment, make sure your health is protected. Do not take the claim at face value: contact reliable organizations and discuss the therapy. Talk to others in a support group, your family and friends although they may not always be supportive, they can help you make an educated, objective decision.

Discuss the therapy with your doctor. Make sure your doctor knows what therapy you are considering so they can discuss possible interactions and/or side effects with your current treatments. They can also provide you with information on other patients who may have tried the same therapy.

Contact the Better Business Bureau and thoroughly research the background of the therapy provider. Determine how long they have been providing this therapy, what credentials they have, and what their philosophy of treatment is. Avoid therapy providers who refuse or are reluctant to work with your doctor. Be sure that the provider is willing to refer patients to a conventional doctor when necessary.

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What Is Parkinsons Disease

Parkinson’s Disease is a common diseases of the nervous system and usually begins insidiously. The first signs of the disease do not always clearly indicate PD. It can therefore often take years before PD is properly diagnosed.

PD is a chronic disease which permanently impairs the nerve cells in the part of the brain that is responsible for controlling movements. The nerve cells in this area, and this those which are affected, typically produce the messenger substance dopamine.

Dopamine is responsible for transmitting signals for movement control. If the nerve cells die, the dopamine level drops. In its course, the disease can therefore affect the coordination and mobility of those affected.

Parkinsons Disease Alternative Medicine

Hope is a powerful thing. Without hope for a better future, the will to live is lost and recovery, no matter what the affliction, is impossible.

Imagine then, being told by your doctor that you have a progressive and degenerative disease that robs you of the ability to control your own body. A disease for which there is no cure.

This is the reality for those diagnosed with Parkinsons disease.

Hope is offered in the form of medication such as Levodopa. Levodopa acts to restore levels of dopamine in the brain. The lack of dopamine is the primary reason for the symptoms associated with the condition. Since it first began being administered in the 1960s, it has lessened much of the suffering experienced by millions of people throughout the world, and is recognised as the gold standard in medical treatment of the disease. However, it can not completely reverse the symptoms, and like all drugs, is more effective in some than others.

Consequently many have sought hope in alternative treatments. Parkinsons disease has been a recognised ailment in virtually all cultures since ancient times. Many of these ancient treatments are becoming popular in the west and are increasingly validated by western medicine.

Broad beans Australian researchers discovered that broad beans are also an extremely effective natural source of L-dopa. The highest concentration of L-dopa is found in the pod so they are most effective when consumed whole.

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Treating Parkinsons Often Requires A Holistic Approach With Some Solutions Found Outside The Doctors Office

Alternative therapies for Parkinsons disease can complement medical treatments and procedures and help boost quality of life for patients with this movement disorder. From acupuncture and exercise to mindfulness and music, complementary therapies and lifestyle changes focus on easing symptoms and sometimes even slowing the progression of Parkinsons disease.

We are complex beings, said Britt Stone, M.D., a neurologist in Vanderbilts Movement Disorders Clinic. We have a mind and a body. Were a whole person. And so when were thinking about how to treat someone with a medical condition, were not just thinking about the things in the body that are going awry, but the person as well.

Risk Factors And Causes

Alternative Treatments for Parkinson’s Disease

There isnt one single cause of Parkinsons that has been proven at this time. Researchers believe a loss of the neurotransmitter dopamine, neurological damage, inflammation and brain cell deterioration are among the primary factors that trigger Parkinsons development. But why exactly patients develop these problems is a complex issue that remains up for debate.

What is known is that certain risk factors can make someone more susceptible to developing Parkinsons disease, which can include:

  • Being a man, especially during older age. Research suggests that men in their 50s and 60s are most likely to develop Parkinsons.
  • Genetic susceptibility: Studies have now identified several gene mutations that can put someone at a greater risk. Parkinsons has also been found to run in families, and having a sibling or parent increases someones risk.
  • Damage to the area of the brain called the substantia nigra, which produces brain cells that are responsible for making dopamine.
  • Toxicity and exposure to chemicals, including pesticides present on produce from non-organic farming. Living in a rural area and drinking well-water that might contain chemicals is another environmental risk factor.
  • Poor diet, nutrient deficiencies, food allergies and an unhealthy lifestyle.
  • Hormonal imbalances and other medical conditions that affect cognitive health and increase inflammation.

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Alternative Treatments For Parkinson’s Disease

For people with Parkinson’s disease, treatment typically involves the use of medications that help minimize movement problems and control symptoms. A disorder of the central nervous system, Parkinson’s disease also can be better managed with the help of certain lifestyle changes.

In addition to medication, people who have Parkinson’s disease often seek alternative treatment options.

A Resource Guide Of 19 Complementary Therapies For People With Parkinson’s

The options to help people with Parkinson’s live well are not limited to conventional medicine and DBS. This list of 19 complementary therapies people associated with the Davis Phinney Foundation Blog experimented with, under the care of their medical team, in an attempt to reduce symptoms even more.

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Naturaltreatment For Parkinsons #6 Magnesium & Iodine:

Magnesium is vital for the health of the entire nervoussystem, especially the protective layer that surrounds the nerves . Magnesiumis also essential for the production of dopamine and helps protect dopaminergicneurons in the substantia nigra from degeneration. In addition to this, new evidence is showing that low levels of magnesium in the brain causes a build-up ofheavy metals a major factor in the development of Parkinsons, Alzheimers,epilepsy and MS. In a recent trial, 30 epileptics were given 450 mg ofmagnesium daily and this successfully controlled their seizures. Ifmagnesium can help epilepsy patients, it can certainly help Parkinsons sufferers. Worldrenowned magnesium expert and author, Dr Carolyn Dean, has both Parkinsons andAlzheimers disease in her top 55 health conditions caused by amagnesium deficiency list and says that magnesium is 100% essential for the preventionand treatment of both of these diseases Dr Carolyn Dean Interview

In regards to iodine, well-known researcher and author,Dr James Howenstein, says

Iodineis found in large quantities in the brain and the ciliary body of the eye. A lackof iodine may be involved in the production of Parkinsons disease andglaucoma.

Inthe brain, iodine concentrates in the substantia nigra, an area of the brainthat has been associated with Parkinsons disease.

David Brownstein M.D. 9

Best Sources of Magnesium and Iodine

-What Youll Need

1 cup of Magnesium Chloride Flakes

1 cup of Distilled Water

Complementary Therapies For Parkinson’s Disease

Natural Remedies to Parkinson

During the pandemic, movement disorders specialist Britt Stone, MD, trained in integrative medicine, the practice of integrating traditional remedies and modern medicine in treatment of the whole person . In this episode of Dr. Gilbert Hosts, she speaks for about 20-minutes about complementary therapies to relieve symptoms of stress, anxiety, pain, stiffness, insomnia, nausea, bloating, and memory, before answering questions for another 20-minutes.

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How Might Massage Therapy Help

Research suggests that massage may help to reduce pain and anxiety and depression, although theres no conclusive evidence. Abdominal massage may also help with constipation.

Many people with Parkinsons and their carers have told us they find massage therapy useful as a way to relax and to have time to themselves.

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A Buffer Against Anxiety

Reached for comment, Shaheen Lakhan, MD, a neurologist and researcher from Boston, Massachusetts, who was not involved in the study, said the finding that after 8 weeks that sham and real acupuncture produced an anti-anxiety effect in a 100% Chinese population with tremendous cultural expectation bias does not surprise him.

I cannot say the same with the follow-up period a full 8 weeks after treatment stopped anxiety was re-measured and there was a clear, significant clinical improvement between the real acupuncture and the sham groups, Lakhan told Medscape Medical News.

The sham groups anxiety returned to baseline levels before any intervention, while the real acupuncture group not only had sustained anti-anxiety response, but made even more gains after stopping treatment, he noted.

Lakhan said it is important to note that anxiety is fundamentally a disorder of cognition and autonomic function with a bidirectional relationship.

Patients with anxiety have cognitive inflexibility and autonomic dysregulation , and disturbance of either make the other worse.

In certain neurodegenerative disorders like PD, the autonomic nervous system is particularly and progressively impaired causing failures to adapt. Acupuncture, I postulate, actually trains that flight-and-fight nervous system so it can buffer against anxiety, Lakhan said.

JAMA Netw Open. Published online Sept. 21, 2022. Full text.

For more Medscape Neurology news, join us on and

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Complementary And Alternative Therapies For Parkinson Disease

Findings indicate that some CAM therapies may have a promising future in the management of Parkinson disease.

CONFERENCE REPORTER

Patients who have Parkinson disease may benefit from complementary and alternative therapies . These treatment therapies can help alleviate symptoms or slow down disease progression. It is estimated that approximately 40% of patients with Parkinson disease have used at least one type of CAM therapy.1 Commonly used options for Parkinson disease including exercise, herbal remedies, and interventions such as acupuncture.

Each type of CAM therapy may have its own mechanism of action and outcomes, and while the effects of an individual type of CAM therapy on Parkinson disease may be examined on its own, they are often evaluated as a group. There are still many unanswered questions, however, about the mechanisms and effects of various CAM therapies. Findings indicate that some CAM therapies may have a promising future in the management of Parkinson disease.

Exercise

Several techniques, including Tai Chi, meditation, and yoga, have all been examined as CAM approaches for management of Parkinson disease. A recent meta-analysis identified 21 studies that assessed the effects of Tai Chi or Qigong on several aspects of Parkinson disease, including motor and non-motor function and quality of life.

Herbal treatments

Acupuncture

Proposed mechanisms of action

Summary

Alternative Treatment For Parkinsons Disease

Alternative Treatments for Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinsons Disease is the second most frequent neurodegenerative disorder, affecting 2-3% of the populations ages 65 and older.

Traditional treatment methods are typically focused on relief from motor symptoms. Research shows overwhelming evidence that oxidative stress has a significant role in neuronal degeneration. This, combined with an imbalance in antioxidant defense and repair mechanisms may lead to the loss or death of neurons in the part of the brain that plays a critical role in motor movement. Up to 40-60% of patients with Parkinsons Disease often experience symptoms of anxiety and depression as well, which can worsen the neuromotor symptoms of Parkinsons Disease.

OxfordRecovery Centerhasa Parkinsons Program with a unique approach to treating Parkinsons Disease. Our programhasshown incredibleoutcomes for our patients treating for Parkinsons Disease.

Learn more about each therapy we utilize below, along with video testimonial from one of our patients.

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Mindful And Creative Therapies

Creative pursuits, such as singing, and relaxation techniques, such as meditation, can add continued life enjoyment while also helping to ease symptoms or anxiety. A lot of times people have a soft voice or it can be hard for them to vocalize loudly, Stone said. So choir and music can be really helpful. Mindfulness and meditation or prayer, any of that is really good as well.

Stone said the last 100 years have brought about incredible scientific breakthroughs, but treating any disease is about more than just medical therapies. You need more tools than just a pill, she said. You need social connection, physical movement, a nutrient-rich diet and healthy rhythms of life, which together with medication, can increase well-being.

The Complementary And Natural Healthcare Council

The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council was established with government support to regulate some therapies.

Therapies regulated by the Council include:

  • Alexander technique

The list of CNHC-regulated therapies discussed in this booklet is not exhaustive. Because registration of these therapies with CNHC is voluntary, not all the practitioners of the therapies are registered. To find out more and to see the full list of CNHC-regulated therapies, visit their website.

Other complementary therapies are gradually moving towards a system of stricter self-regulation. See below for more information on professional associations.

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What Evidence Should I Trust

Theres a lot of information on complementary therapies, particularly on the internet, that claims to be based on scientific evidence. But its not all reliable.

To help make sure youre reading accurate and useful information thats not misleading you may find it helps to ask yourself the following questions:

  • Where is the research published? Research should normally be peer-reviewed in professional journals. This means that before the details are released, it has been reviewed by other experts not involved in the study.
  • How many patients were involved in the study? The higher the number, the more reliable the study usually is.
  • Is the result of the study a one-off or have other scientists confirmed it?

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Parkinson’s Disease Alternative Medicine

Alternative Medicine for Parkinson

Hope is a powerful thing. Without hope for a better future, the will to live is lost and recovery, no matter what the affliction, is impossible.

Imagine then, being told by your doctor that you have a progressive and degenerative disease that robs you of the ability to control your own body. A disease for which there is no cure.

This is the reality for those diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Hope is offered in the form of medication such as Levodopa. Levodopa acts to restore levels of dopamine in the brain. The lack of dopamine is the primary reason for the symptoms associated with the condition. Since it first began being administered in the 1960’s, it has lessened much of the suffering experienced by millions of people throughout the world, and is recognised as the “gold standard” in medical treatment of the disease. However, it can not completely reverse the symptoms, and like all drugs, is more effective in some than others.

Consequently many have sought hope in alternative treatments. Parkinson’s disease has been a recognised ailment in virtually all cultures since ancient times. Many of these ancient treatments are becoming popular in the west and are increasingly validated by western medicine.

Broad beans– Australian researchers discovered that broad beans are also an extremely effective natural source of L-dopa. The highest concentration of L-dopa is found in the pod so they are most effective when consumed whole.

2002-2012©Parkinson’s Disease Information.

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