Acupuncture and Parkinson’s Disease

Neuro-acupuncture has been used quite successfully as a symptom-alleviation technique for various neurological disorders.

“Chorea” refers to an abnormal, involuntary movement disorder. It is characterized by excessive, spontaneous gestures of an irregular nature that tend to especially affect the shoulders, hips, and face. We see the motions vary in severity from restlessness with mild intermittent exaggeration of gesture and expression, to fidgeting movements of the hands and legs with an unstable dance-like gait, to a continual flow of disabling, violent movements.  These characteristics go hand in hand with Parkinson’s Disease.

The pathophysiology of Parkinson’s Disease is understood as an over-activity of the neurotransmitter “dopamine” in areas of the brain that control movement. In Western medicine, the following prescription drugs are often prescribed to help ease symptoms: Levodopa, anticonvulsants, and antipsychotics. However, some medications used for treating Parkinson’s Disease can actually increase the intensity of chorea.

For individuals interested in exploring additional coping options for their Parkinson’s (or other neurological disease) symptoms, Chinese medicine is worth looking into. In Chinese medicine, we begin by observing the tongue and pulse to determine which acupuncture methods would best alleviate the symptoms. Ultimately, the goal is to aid the client in finding more comfort and less involuntary movement.

With acupuncture, most individuals begin noticing relief after just three sessions. Indeed, clients that Dr. Acton has recently worked with are experiencing relief after just three sessions.
Sign up for an acupuncture session with Dr. Acton to find out if acupuncture could help you!

Dr. Denise Acton