Memory loss and dementia

Supportive care for people living with memory loss and for the family members who look after them, alongside the neurologist. We work on sleep, restlessness, appetite and comfort, and make no claims about slowing the disease.

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Read through

BothWesternClassical

Two lenses, one plan

Water 水 is the phase it is most often read through. Here the Western lens leads, with the classical lens alongside.

The Western lensAnatomy, physiology, biomechanics

Memory, sleep and the aging brain

In Alzheimer's disease, proteins build up in and around nerve cells, and the memory networks of the temporal lobe are often affected early. Vascular changes from high blood pressure, diabetes or small strokes contribute in many people, sometimes alongside Alzheimer's.

Sleep and the brain: Deep sleep is thought to be when the brain clears some of its waste, and broken sleep is both a symptom and a burden in dementia. Sleep is one of the first things we ask about.
Behavior is communication: Agitation, pacing and evening restlessness often signal pain, hunger, constipation, overstimulation or fear. Calming the body can sometimes calm the behavior.
Hearing and vision: Uncorrected hearing loss is recognized as a risk factor for cognitive decline, and good hearing and vision make every conversation easier. Hearing aids and glasses are worth keeping up.

The classical lensChannels, patterns, the five phases

When the sea of marrow runs low

The Kidney stores essence, essence makes marrow, and marrow fills the brain. With age the essence wanes and the sea thins; phlegm and stagnant blood can then cloud the orifices of the mind, which is why forgetfulness, confusion and dullness are read through the Kidney, the Heart and phlegm together.

The Heart and Spleen: Worry, poor appetite and light sleep point to the Heart and Spleen running low, a layer that often responds to gentle care and is shared by many tired caregivers.

Patterns we often see

Insufficiency of the sea of marrow suǐ hǎi bù zú 髓海不足
Phlegm clouding the orifices tán méng qīng qiào 痰蒙清竅
Blood stasis blocking the brain's vessels yū zǔ nǎo luò 瘀阻腦絡
Heart and Spleen deficiency xīn pí liǎng xū 心脾兩虛

Patterns are examples of how this is often read, never a diagnosis. Yours is read at your visit.

How we work: one plan

Short, calm visits with family present: acupuncture around the crown and for the pattern, scalp acupuncture zones, and acupressure or moxibustion when needles are unwelcome. Herbs only when they can be given reliably at home. Supportive care alongside the neurologist; we make no claim to slow the disease.

What dementia is

Dementia is an umbrella term for a decline in memory, thinking and judgment that gets in the way of daily life. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause; vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia and frontotemporal dementia are others. Memory complaints are worth a full workup with a physician, because some have treatable contributors: thyroid problems, low vitamin B12, sleep apnea, depression, hearing loss or medication effects. Sudden new confusion over hours or days is different again. It can mean an infection or a stroke, and it needs urgent medical care first.

What we offer, and what we do not

We do not offer a way to stop or slow dementia, and we will not suggest otherwise. What families ask us for is closer to daily life: nights broken by waking and wandering, restlessness as the afternoon fades (often called sundowning), anxiety, poor appetite, constipation, and a caregiver running on empty. Those are the things we work on, alongside the neurologist and primary physician, who stay in charge of diagnosis and medication.

How visits are adapted

Visits are shorter and calmer, with fewer needles and a family member in the room. Acupuncture usually includes points around the crown of the head, such as the Four Alert Spirit points (sì shén cōng, 四神聰), with scalp acupuncture zones and body points for the pattern. When needles are not welcome, acupressure and gentle moxibustion take their place. A classical formula is added only when it can be given reliably at home.

We ask the family to keep simple notes between visits: nights slept through, evening agitation, appetite, bowels and mood, and we review them together.

Questions people ask

Can acupuncture help someone with dementia?

Acupuncture is studied as supportive care in dementia, mainly for sleep, agitation and mood, and research is ongoing. We do not claim that it slows memory loss. What we aim for is calmer evenings, better sleep and more comfort, measured with the family.

My mother is anxious about needles. What then?

We use fewer needles, shorter visits and acupressure instead when needles unsettle her. A familiar family member in the room usually helps, and nothing is done that she resists.

Can I come in for my own stress as the caregiver?

Yes. Caregivers are welcome as patients in their own right. Sleep, worry and exhaustion are treated through the same pattern reading.

Are herbs safe alongside dementia medication?

Any formula is checked against every medication first, and we make sure whoever manages the doses at home knows exactly how to give it. If that is not practical, we leave herbs out.

This is general wellness information, not medical advice.

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