Parkinson's disease

Supportive care for the tremor, stiffness, balance, sleep and digestion of Parkinson's disease, alongside your neurologist. We make no claim to slow the disease; we work on how your days feel and move.

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Read through

BothWesternClassical

Two lenses, one plan

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

The Western lensAnatomy, physiology, biomechanics

The basal ganglia and dopamine

Deep in the brain, the basal ganglia help select and scale movement, and they rely on dopamine from a small region of the brainstem called the substantia nigra. As those cells are lost, movements shrink and slow, and starting, stopping and turning become harder.

Rigidity and posture: Stiffness tends to pull the body forward and shorten the stride. Large, deliberate movements practiced often are a standard part of Parkinson's exercise programs.
Gut and nervous system: Constipation is one of the most common non-motor symptoms, and the gut's own nerves are thought to be involved in the disease. It is also one of the symptoms people most often ask us about.
Freezing: Some people stall at doorways or when turning. Cues such as counting, a line on the floor or a rhythm can help release a freeze.

The classical lensChannels, patterns, the five phases

Tremor as internal wind

The classics describe tremor of the head and hands, 顫證, as internal wind. The Liver governs the sinews, and when Liver and Kidney yin and blood decline with age they no longer hold the sinews still, so the limbs shake and stiffen.

Phlegm and heat: Where there is agitation, a thick tongue coating or cognitive change, phlegm-heat is read as stirring the wind from above, and the plan clears it before nourishing.
Middle qi: A weak center, with fatigue, a poor appetite and slow bowels, is often part of the picture, so digestion is treated alongside the tremor.

Patterns we often see

Liver and Kidney yin deficiency gān shèn yīn xū 肝腎陰虛
Qi and blood depletion qì xuè kuī xū 氣血虧虛
Phlegm-heat stirring wind tán rè dòng fēng 痰熱動風

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

How we work: one plan

Scalp acupuncture over the motor and tremor zones, electro-acupuncture when appropriate, distal Master Tung's points, and movement practice in the office with exercises to take home, timed to your medication. Herbs only after a check against every medication. Your neurologist stays your primary doctor.

What Parkinson's disease is

Parkinson's disease follows a loss of dopamine-producing cells deep in the brain, in circuits that help start and smooth movement. The familiar signs are a resting tremor, stiffness, slowness, a shorter, shuffling step, smaller handwriting, a softer voice and a face that shows less expression. Just as real are the non-motor symptoms: constipation, lost sense of smell, acting out dreams in sleep, low mood, anxiety, fatigue and lightheadedness on standing. Some of these appear years before the diagnosis. Your neurologist confirms the diagnosis and manages the medication.

Planning around your medication

Medication shapes the day: an "on" stretch when movement is easier and an "off" stretch when it wears thin. We ask for your dose times and book you when you are on, so you can move and practice during the visit. Herbs are added only after a check against every medication. Falls are a real risk, so a family member is welcome, and we will help you on and off the table.

How we work with it

A visit usually combines scalp acupuncture over the motor zones and the zone used for tremor (the chorea and tremor control area, 舞蹈震顫控制區), electro-acupuncture on stiff limbs when appropriate, and distal Master Tung's points for the pattern. While the needles are in, we practice movement: big steps, turns, sit-to-stand, arm swing, and voice. You leave with exercises to do at home.

Together we track things you can feel and measure: a timed walk and turn, how many sit-to-stands you can do, a handwriting sample, sleep and bowel habits. We do not track, or promise, the course of the disease itself.

Questions people ask

Can acupuncture help Parkinson's disease?

Acupuncture is studied as supportive care in Parkinson's, mostly for symptoms such as stiffness, sleep, mood and constipation, and research is ongoing. It does not replace your neurologist's care, and we do not claim that it slows the disease.

Do I need to change my Parkinson's medication?

No. Your neurologist manages your medication, and we never ask you to change it. We note your dose times so visits can fall when your medication is working well.

Are Chinese herbs safe with levodopa?

Any formula is checked against every medication you take before it is prescribed, and some herbs are avoided for that reason. Please bring a current medication list to every visit.

I have trouble getting on and off a table. Is that a problem?

Not at all. We plan for it, help you on and off, and many points can be reached with you seated.

This is general wellness information, not medical advice.

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