Sunday, March 24, 2024
Sunday, March 24, 2024
HomeTreatmentsCan Chinese Medicine Help Parkinson's

Can Chinese Medicine Help Parkinson’s

Demonstration Of Auxiliary Acupoints: Governing Vessel

Tremor’s Parkinson’s disease – Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture

Orthostatic hypotension occurs in a number of PD patients, and can be treated by filiform needle manipulation or fire needling of the Governing vessel acupoints. This patient did not display OH, thus only the acupoint selection is shown, with acupuncture treatment excluded.

Standard acupoints for treating OH include:

DU-14 Dazhui: Located in the depression below the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra.

DU-12 Shenzhu: Located in the depression below the spinous process of the third thoracic vertebra.

DU-11 Shendao: Located in the depression below the spinous process of the fifth thoracic vertebra.

DU-9 Zhiyang: Located in the depression below the spinous process of the seventh thoracic vertebra.

DU-8 Jinsuo: Located in the depression below the spinous process of the ninth thoracic vertebra.

DU-6 Jizhong: Located in the depression below the spinous process of the eleventh thoracic vertebra.

DU-4 Mingmen: Located in the depression below the spinous process of the second lumbar vertebra.

DU-3 Yaoyangguan: Located in the depression below the spinous process of the fourth lumbar vertebra.

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?

Massage Therapy For Parkinsons

While data analyzing the role of acupuncture in treatment of PD symptoms is fairly limited, the data on the role of massage in the treatment of PD symptoms is even more so. One clinical trial was done assessing the effects of a 40-minute massage session, with some participants then continuing to receive seven weekly sessions. The control group was not blinded to their status . Despite these limitations, the study showed that massage was helpful in improving quality of life for people with PD.

All of the above begs the question should a person with PD try acupuncture or massage to help their PD symptoms? The bottom line is that there is little formal evidence that either treatment is truly effective. Larger and better designed clinical trials are necessary before these treatments will be routinely recommended.

For now, people with PD can choose to make their own assessments about whether these practices improve their well-being and whether to incorporate acupuncture or massage into their weekly routine. In general there is minimal risk in trying acupuncture or massage, aside from perhaps disappointment if they do not work for you. If you plan to try acupuncture and/or massage, be sure to go to reputable practitioners, preferably ones with experience in treating people with PD.

Recommended Reading: Parkinson Family Tree

Appendix Abstracts From The International Congress On Traditional Medicine Beijing 2000

These abstracts are from brief presentations given in Beijing during April 22-24, 2000. Limited details were provided in the abstracts. They indicate that most of the patients given these various herb therapies showed improvement. Treatment time, when reported, was 6-12 weeks, and the herbs might be given in capsules or decoctions. No side effects of the herb therapies were noted. As with the studies reported above, the methodology employed does not meet current standards for reliably demonstrating effectiveness.

Clinical study on treatment of Parkinson’s disease with Wengan Zhichan Jiaonang, by Gai Guozhong, et al.32 cases of Parkinson’s disease were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group . The treatment group received the formula Wengan Zhichan Jiaonang , which included the following herbs: astragalus, ginseng, ho-shou-wu, dipsacus, magnolia bark, ligustrum, and cnidium . The herb extracts were encapsulated , with administration of 4 capsules, three times daily. The control group received l-dopa and carbidopa. According to the authors, the results for the two groups, in terms of Parkinson’s symptoms, were the same, but the herb-taking group had improvement of other symptoms associated with deficiency syndrome.

The Inhibition Of Neuroinflammation

Acupuncture

Neuroinflammation is a common and important pathological mechanism in nervous system diseases and different neurological diseases are involved in neuroinflammation at some stage. At present, it is believed that neuroinflammation was involved in an important cascade reaction in neuronal degeneration of PD .

Along with aging, dysregulation of immune and inflammatory will gradually appear in the body, and the activation of microglia is considered to be related to the pathogenesis of PD nerve degeneration. When the central nervous system suffers from exogenous antigens stimulus, such as pathogenic microorganisms or foreign bodies, microglia will be rapidly activated. Then, the activated microglia cells can secrete various cytokines such as IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, TNF-, and IFN-, etc. .

Read Also: Parkinson Mitochondria

Natural Remedy For Parkinsons #4 Chlorella And Borax:

If you have a neurological disease such as Parkinsons orAlzheimers, the importance of removing heavy metals from the body – especiallyfrom the brain and nervous system – cannot be overstated. Heavy metalsaccumulate in the brain and nervous system at a rapid rate and cause damage tothe neurological pathways and brain inflammation. Fluoride is one ofthe worst, however, mercury, lead, aluminium and cadmium are also extremely dangerous.Chlorella and borax not only remove these heavy metals completely, theycontinue to prevent further toxic build-ups.

Chlorella is a miracle blue-green algae and one of themost powerful detoxifiers and chelators yet discovered. Whenits combined with cilantro, its benefits are enhancedsignificantly. A Russian study found that chlorella, combined with cilantro,was able to remove all heavy metals from the body, including fluoride and mercury,with no adverse or harmful side effects. You can purchase chlorellain powdered form online or from most health food stores. Just make sure you buythe Broken Cell Wall Chlorella as this is the strongest and most bio-available.For dosage recommendations, simply follow the directions on the container.

How Might Feldenkrais Help

Studies show that Feldenkrais helps with balance and mobility. People also use it to find relief from tension and pain, to improve breathing and performance, and for general wellbeing. As yet, there have been few studies of the method specifically for the treatment of Parkinsons, but there are some indications that the method improves quality of life.

You May Like: Can Parkinson’s Run In The Family

How Might Aromatherapy Help

Many people use aromatherapy to help them relax. There hasnt been much research on how aromatherapy may help with Parkinsons. Research suggests it can have a mild, temporary calming effect on anxiety, but another study said the evidence available wasnt good enough to prove aromatherapy could effectively treat any condition.

Aromatherapy is one of the more commonly offered therapies in NHS hospitals with complementary medicine programmes. Speak to your GP, specialist or Parkinsons nurse about availability in your area.

Case Selection And Treatment Methods

Ideal diet – Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture

All treated cases were Parkinson’s disease patients who had been diagnosed by experts in neurology department of senior hospitals. According to the theory of TCM, Yin governs tranquility, Yang actively, Yin governs softness, Yang governs rigidity, combined with the main clinical manifestations of Parkinson’s disease, such as limb tremor and muscle stiffness, syndrome differentiation is , deficiency wind internal movement, so nourishing yin of Gan and Shen, and extinguishing wind should be the treatment principle. According to this rule, the Chinese herbal medicine with the right syndromes was selected, and the Chinese patent medicine Xifeng Zhichan pills and Xifeng Zhichan capsules were prepared. I used the Xifengzhizhan pills and Xifengzhizhan capsules to treat PD. Both Xifengzhichao Pills and Xifengzhichan Capsules are pure Chinese herbal compound preparations. The main components of Xifeng zhichan Pills are: Shudi, cornel meat, medlar, chrysanthemum, Ligustrum lucidum, Gastrodia elata, uncaria, polygonatum, asparagus, etc. The main components of Xifengzhizhan capsules are: white peony root, ejiao, turtle shell, cistanche deserticola, natural ground, radix scrophulariae, radix bidentata, etc. Xifengzhichan Pills 9 grams each time, three times a day Xifengzhichan Capsules 6 capsules each time, three times a day, Oral administration.

In this article, only 10 typical cases from many cured PD patients were selected and reported as follows:

Don’t Miss: Parkinsons And Genetics

The Inhibition Of Oxidative Stress

The etiology and pathogenesis of PD so far have not been completely elucidated, but it has been generally acknowledged that the improvement of oxidative stress is one of the most important pathophysiological mechanisms .

Oxidative stress is incurred by the increase of free radicals in the organism, while the eliminative ability of free radicals decreased at the same time. There will be excessive free radicals in the body, which will be damaging cell components eventually . PD patients are in a state of oxidative stress. In the substantia nigra of PD patients, the elevated concentration of ferric ion, weaken mitochondrial function and anomaly protection system of antioxidant and free radical scavenging enzyme SOD, GSH-Px) have contributed to the acceleration of oxidative stress and excessive generation of oxygen free radicals. Thereby, large amount of lipid peroxide, such as Malondialdehyde , hydroxyl, carbonyl, etc., will cause cell death, which leads to neuronal apoptosis ultimately .

Table 1. Effect of TCM on Oxidative Stress Responses in the Model of PD.

Tcm In Treatment Of Parkinsons Disease

TABLE 2. Classic traditional Chinese medicines with potential benefits for treating Parkinsons diseaseassociated symptoms.

TCM prescriptions have significant clinical effects in the treatment of PD. The differentiation of syndromes and treatment starts from the pathogenesis of PD and focuses on replenishing the liver and kidney and combining treatments, such as promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis, extinguishing wind, relieving spasm, and resolving phlegm and detoxification, which can all relieve the motor symptoms of PD and protect the dopaminergic neurons . Studies have found that TCM prescriptions and compounds used for the treatment of PD have antioxidant effects, which can affect mitochondrial function and intracellular antioxidant activity, regulate dopamine metabolism and iron metabolism, and protect neurons.

Read Also: Does Parkinson’s Cause Memory Issues

The Regulation Of Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Abnormal morphology and dysfunction of mitochondrial are one of the important pathological mechanisms of PD.

Mitochondria, as the power plant and energy conversion station of cells, regulates the process of gene expression and apoptosis. Recent reports have suggested that mitochondrial dysfunction is closely related to a variety of neurodegenerative diseases including PD .

The decrease of mitochondrial complex I activity of substantia nigra neurons in autopsy of PD was firstly found by Shoffner et al. . Shortly afterwards, Parker et al. found that the platelet mitochondrial complex I activity in patients with PD was also reduced . After the inhibition of mitochondrial complex I, there are obvious obstacles to the production of energy, which lead to a series of secondary reactions, even cell death occurs. Insufficient synthesis of ATP can also cause protein and lipid degradation. The degraded products may trigger or produce oxidative metabolic reactions, which aggravate the damage of substantia nigra. The production of large amount of reactive oxygen species elicited by the inhibition of complex I can drive its activity to continue to decline, thus form a vicious circle .

Are Complementary Therapies Beneficial

Pin on Home Remedies

Theres no simple answer to this. There are so many types of therapy that its impossible to generalise.

Theres evidence of the beneficial effect of some complementary therapies . For other therapies, there is no research to prove it has any benefits for people with Parkinsons. But we hear from many people affected who feel it helps them.

It will also depend on what you expect from complementary therapies. For example, you may feel a particular therapy is not having a positive effect on your Parkinsons symptoms, but you may enjoy the experience. For you, this might be enough of a reason to continue.

Weve included comments from people affected by Parkinsons who have tried some of the therapies. We hope this will give you a better idea of what people are trying and how they found it. But remember that everyone will have a different experience.

Please remember these are peoples personal opinions Parkinsons UK doesnt endorse any particular therapy.

People may use complementary therapies alongside prescribed medication for many reasons, for example:

  • Conventional medicine might not always control someones symptoms.
  • Complementary therapy is a way of taking control of your own health.
  • Group therapy can be an opportunity to socialise. Equally, complementary therapies can be a time to enjoy your own company.
  • Complementary therapies can be relaxing.

Also Check: Is Parkinson’s Genetic

What Happens To The Body In Parkinsons Disease

It often starts on one side of the body first and then progresses to both sides. One of the main symptoms and first symptoms that appears is shaking or muscle tremors. The tremors usually start in the hand and can also affect the arms and sometimes the head.

Another symptom is stiffness, rigidity or heaviness which can make your limbs feel difficult to move. This can lead to problems with walking, slower movements or even an inability to move. A common characteristic is the hesitation before stepping and then followed by a shuffling gait.

The body movements that are affected in Parkinsons disease can include walking, talking, writing and eating. And as different muscles become affected other problems develop such as a stooped posture, balance issues, weakness in the voice, loss of facial expressions and swallowing difficulties.

What Is Parkinsons Disease

In Victoria, more than 2,225 people are newly diagnosed with Parkinsons every year. The incidence increases in those who are over the age of 60. It is not a fatal disease, in that you cannot die from Parkinsons symptoms, however it is a severely debilitating disease that robs you of your freedom of movements.

Parkinsons disease is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease. It involves the degeneration of nerves in a region of the brain that controls movement. This degeneration causes a shortage of dopamine, a chemical messenger which is necessary for smooth, controlled movements. This results in movement dysfunctions that characterise Parkinsons disease.

Recommended Reading: What Is A Good Diet For Parkinson’s Disease

Patient Education And Education Of Pd In General

Like other chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cerebral vascular disease, it is important to educate physicians and patients for PD management. Health education is an effective way for local physician and patients to acquire knowledge of PD, which could improve the early diagnosis and management of PD . Tan et al. performed a study on awareness status of PD among elderly veterans in Beijing. In this study, 80.3% subjects heard the name of PD. As for the prevention knowledge, the awareness rate was 62.1%. In those veterans with prevention knowledge of PD, 52.7% of them learned from media, 72.1% of them learned from word of mouth, and only 11.8% learned from health care professionals . Thanks to communication tools through smartphone, such as Weibo and WeChat, it is much easier to perform patient education. Personal health education and health education to caregivers are effective and need more attention .

The Complementary And Natural Healthcare Council

How can Chinese Medicine help with the treatment of Cancer?

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

Therapies regulated by the Council include:

  • Alexander technique
  • report any side effects when they happen

When you find a therapist, here are a few questions you should ask:

  • What, if any, risks are associated with the treatment you offer and what steps will you take to prevent problems?
  • What professional organisations are you registered with?
  • How much does the treatment cost and how long will it last?

Finally, its important to find a therapist you feel comfortable with and who you like. This will help make your therapy more successful and enjoyable.

Read Also: What Is The Life Expectancy For Someone With Parkinson Disease

What Changes Does Acupuncture Have On A Parkinsons Brain

In studies where Parkinsons is induced in animal models, they have found changes in signalling pathways and neuroprotective mechanisms activated in the brain in response to Acupuncture.

Pathological processes such as cell death, inflammation and oxidative stress are corrected by Acupuncture in Parkinsons disease models. Acupuncture also stimulated the motor-sensory areas, the thalamus and the cerebellum in the brain which has a key role in the initiation of movement.

Additionally after Acupuncture treatment they have found an increase in cerebral blood flow and dopamine uptake in regions of the brain which is the primary source of dopamine, as measured by single-photon emission computed tomography .

In an 8 week clinical trial with Parkinsons patients, researchers observed an increase in motor scores . Which they associated to significantly higher neural response in the thalamus.

There are an increasing number of clinical trials of Acupuncture therapy for Parkinsons and the results show a trend toward significant improvement in motor scores on the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale .

This is also accompanied by improved daily living activities, decreased body discomfort and increase in walking speeds. In the clinical trials of the Scalp Acupuncture groups, there were significant improvements in tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia.

How Might Conductive Education Help

Some people find that conductive education helps to control the physical symptoms of Parkinsons, including tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement. By learning strategies which help overcome movement and other everyday problems, conductive education can increase feelings of confidence and independence.

Although conductive education is well established as a treatment for Parkinsons, there is little supporting medical evidence for its effectiveness.

Also Check: What Is The Life Expectancy Of Someone With Parkinson’s Disease

Study Selection And Data Collection

Two investigators independently screened the title and abstract to select potential references. Full articles were obtained for potentially useful studies. The two investigators independently read the whole articles and made a final decision. The data collection from the studies included author name, year of publication, country of first author, number of primary studies and samples, overall conclusion, meta-analysis, outcome measures. Disagreement between two researchers was resolved by discussion with the third author. If the critical data were missing or only expressed graphically, we tried to contact authors for further information or calculated by ourselves if available.

RELATED ARTICLES

Popular Articles