QUALITY-OF-LIFE IMPROVEMENT FOR PARKINSON’S WITH NEUROACUPUNCTURE

Frank (not his real name), a retired professional man in his later 70s who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s some 10 years earlier, first came to see me accompanied by his wife of 40+ years. He walked slowly and carefully with a walker. He complained of stiffness in both arms. His lips barely moved when he spoke; it was difficult to understand him, as his voice was so soft and his speech poorly articulated. He often suffered from a low mood. Clearly, his condition had deteriorated in the years since his initial diagnosis in spite of the deep brain stimulation that he had already undergone.

But Frank exhibited an unusual symptom that I don’t often see. A few months before his first appointment, his left leg had suddenly lost a great deal of muscle. That matchstick-like leg looked as though it belonged to a different person. Needless to say, the muscle loss didn’t make walking easier. And this was a man who had been athletic most of his adult life—very frustrating for him!

In Chinese medicine, the spleen/pancreas rules several important bodily functions. It governs muscle tone, speech, and the metabolism of food and fluids. Could it be that the speech difficulties and the loss of muscle in one leg were related? According to Chinese medical theory, they are most definitely related.

Neuroacupuncture, my subspecialty, is a modern variant of acupuncture that was developed in China in the 1950s. Standard body acupuncture does help with some symptoms that Parkinson’s sufferers face—pain, agitation, sleep disturbances, for example. But when it comes to movement disorder issues, standard acupuncture is not nearly as effective as Neuroacupuncture, which involves the use of fine needles at specific locations on the scalp that mirror important functions of the brain. There are few practitioners in the U.S. who have been trained and certified in this method; I am grateful to be one of them.

During Frank’s very first treatment, I provided body acupuncture during the first half of his session and Neuroacupuncture during the second half. I targeted areas of the scalp that relate to critical issues for Frank: pelvic floor muscle strength (important for walking), leg stiffness, arm stiffness, balance and coordination, and speech articulation.

At the conclusion of his treatment, Frank’s voice was suddenly and noticeably louder! He was able to articulate his speech more clearly. 

Learn more about Dr. Sybil Ihrig and Lotus Wellspring Healthcare by visiting lotuswellspring.com.