07/26/2024
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. It is caused by cell damage in the brain that causes dopamine levels to drop. The rate of PD is climbing, and over 90,000 people are diagnosed with PD in the United States every year.
The cause of PD is unknown, but both genetic and environmental triggers appear to play a role. There is no cure for PD, but medications are currently prescribed to help with walking, tremor, and movement.
In the last several years, there has been an explosion in the field of acupuncture research, and acupuncture and electro-acupuncture (acupuncture needles stimulated with electricity) have both been shown to greatly assist in the management of PD.
Here are some of the exciting research results that relate to the treatment of PD:
Studies have shown that electro-acupuncture stimulates a neural circuit that results in the release of dopamine. http://nature.com/nm/journal/v20/n3/full/nm.3501.html?foxtrotcallback=true
Studies also show electro-acupuncture enhances the synaptic dopamine availability to improve motor function. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22132113
Antioxidants inhibit oxidation and reduce the amount of inflammatory free radicals in the body. Studies show that electro-acupuncture has an antioxidant effect and helps protect neurons in the brain. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0019790
In 2015, medical researchers did a thorough review of all published medical studies on acupuncture and PD. After analyzing the data, researchers concluded:
"First, acupuncture is anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-apoptotic (prevents cell death), neurotrophic (helps repair nerves), increases dopamine availability, restores post-synaptic changes due to dopamine loss (repairs damage caused by low dopamine) and changes certain gene and protein expressions"
"Second, acupuncture re-activates the dysfunctional brain circuitry for motor and non-motor function and relieves symptoms".
"Another clear benefit is that acupuncture can reduce the medication (therapeutic L-dopa) treatment dose and therefore lower the risk of its related side effects (L-dopa induced dyskinesia)".
They reported that acupuncture is effective, safe, and well tolerated. http://sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0254627215301643
And finally, another study showed that electro-acupuncture produces sustained motor improvement that lasts at least four weeks after treatment. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26894437
Eric Hunstad, L.Ac is a Titusville native and has been providing acupuncture services in Titusville for over 20 years. He has extensive experience in assisting in the management of Parkinson's Disease.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with PD and would like to discuss your treatment options, please feel free to call our office at 321-225-4565 to schedule a free consultation or go to www.TitusvilleAcupuncture.com for more information.
