Parkinson's Disease - City Acupuncture

Acupuncture can not heal Parkinson’s Disease, but it may help prevent Parkinson’s disease and slow its progression. Electroacupuncture is a validated option for PD, improving the activities of daily life by relieving motor symptoms and improving nonmotor symptoms such as pain and depression. (1)

People with Parkinson’s Disease exhibit decreased cerebral blood flow (CBF). As I may have the genetics for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, I regularly needle 2 points to increase my cerebral blood flow (CBF) for brain protection.

Relationship of CBF to Parkinson’s Symptoms:
- Cognitive Impairment: Reduced CBF, particularly in the frontal regions and parietal cortex, is associated with cognitive decline and dementia in PD. (2)
- Motor Symptoms: Some studies suggest a correlation between reduced CBF and the severity of motor symptoms like tremor. (3)
- Non-Motor Symptoms: Alterations in CBF may also contribute to non-motor symptoms such as autonomic dysfunction and sleep disturbances. (4)
Vagus Nerve stimulation via a needle in the ear’s Cymba Concha has neuroprotective properties, particularly in the context of brain injury and neurological disorders. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has shown promise in reducing inflammation, promoting neuroprotection, and improving outcomes in conditions like stroke and traumatic brain injury. It is also thought that Parkinson’s Disease may originate in the enteric nervous system (the “brain in the gut”) and spread to the brain via the vagus nerve.

Here are some interesting search papers.

This article concluded that evidence has demonstrated that neural plasticity, mediated by acupuncture in neural disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and depression, shows evidence of the positive role of acupuncture-induced plasticity.

The following study showed that acupuncture treatment not only treats the brain where the dopaminergic neurons have been lost, which is the hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD), but is also helpful for coping with non-motor related symptoms and overall quality of life in PD patients

Patients with Parkinson’s disease who were treated with acupuncture and other related therapies, when combined with conventional medication, exhibited significant improvements in motor function and experiences of daily living.

Clinical studies have shown that acupuncture is beneficial for PD patients, especially for reducing the required dose of medication and related side effects.

Other studies include: