Parkinson's treatment (long post)

[Guest guest]

Parkinson's Disease - Herb Lecture 21MAY97

China Beijing International Acupuncture Training Center

 

It is induced by infection, atherosclerosis, cerebral vascular

disease, and/or drugs of anti-depressant nature. Cerebral trauma can

lead to the disease. Symptoms include trembling limbs, rigid limbs,

stiff muscles, while walking sometimes both arms will not swing with

the gait, mask face (expressionless) due to stiff muscles in the

face. They write characters smaller and smaller. When walking, they

walk with smaller steps, very rapidly. Disease part of brain is the

striatum (sp?).

 

The above symptoms are due to degeneration of substances leading to

dopamine going down and acetycholine going up. Recently, someone

believes problem is from anti-oxidants decreasing and free radicals

degenerating black substances.

 

This disease is commonly seen in ages 50-60 and even older, males

more than females. About 2,000,000 old people may suffer this in

China. It is becoming a bigger issue now because they cannot work

and care for themselves.

 

Western drugs are often used to treat it, but they have side effects,

and the longer they are used the less they are effective. Often,

taking drugs for a long time leads to balance problems. It is a

progressive type disease.

 

Western Parkinson types (3) – Trembling, Rigid, Mixed

 

In TCM (China) it is mainly treated by the Neurological Department.

They treat by both acupuncture and herbs. They have treated about

1,000 through the Academy with an effective rate of about 80

percent.

 

Based on literature of TCM and clinical practice it is associated

with " Traveling Syndrome " of TCM and is believed to be caused by wind

from a number of factors:

(1) Yin deficiency of Kidney and Liver, and Hyperactive Liver Yang

(2) Deficiency of Qi and Blood (giving rise to wind)

(3) Phlegm Heat stirring wind

(4) Insufficiency of Brain Marrow

 

The main affected organ is Liver, after time Spleen and Kidney are

affected. The treatment principles are:

Tonify Liver and Kidney

Eliminate Wind

Activate Circulation of Collaterals

 

(1) Yin deficiency of Kidney and Liver, and Hyperactive Liver Yang

(LV-blood and KD-yin def. causing Tremors)

 

Symptoms: dizziness, tinnitis, feverish palms and soles,

constipation, soreness and weakness of low back

Tongue: deep red with little or no coat

Pulse: deep, thready and wiry

 

Treatment Principles: Nourish Liver and Kidney, Tonify Yin,

Eliminate Internal Wind

 

Base formula: Modified Da Ding Feng Zhu

Ingredients: Sheng Di, Shu Di, He Shou Wu, Xuan Shen, Gou Teng,

Sheng Mu Li, Dan Shen, Chi Shao, and Du Zhong, with Ling Yang Jiao

Fen (powder form),

 

Note: After decoction is poured into cup, add Ling Yang Jiao Fen

powder before drinking (treatment effect is better with this powder)

 

(2) Deficiency of Qi and Blood (giving rise to wind)

 

Symptoms: lassitude, weakness, dizziness, blurred vision

Tongue: pale, flabby with tooth marks

Pulse: thready, deep or weak

 

Treatment Principles: Nourish Qi and Blood, Open Collaterals, Calm

Wind

 

Base formula: Modified Ba Zhen Tang and Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin

Ingredients: Huang Qi, Dang Shen, Dang Gui, Bai Shao, Tian Ma, Gou

Teng, Zhen Zhu Mu, Dan Shen, and Ji Xue Teng, with Ling Yang Jiao Fen

(powder form)

 

Note: After decoction is poured into cup, add Ling Yang Jiao Fen

powder before drinking (treatment effect is better with this powder)

 

(3) Phlegm Heat stirring wind

 

Symptoms: Patients are usually fat, body contains much dampness or

phlegm. Long retention of phlegm may turn into heat, heat tends to

go upward and disturb the mind, causing symptoms such as dizziness

and tremors. When dampness is retained in Spleen/Stomach there will

be fullness in epigastrium, when attacked body feels heavy and

dislikes exertion. When phlegm turns into heat there will be

spitting out of yellow sputum.

Tongue: red, with yellow sticky coat

Pulse: wiry rapid or wiry rolling

 

Treatment Principles: Clear Heat, Resolve Phlegm, Seize Wind,

Activate Flow of Blood in Collaterals

 

Base Formula: No Name

Ingredients: Gua Lou, Dan Shen, Dan Nan Xing, Bai Ji Li, Chi Shao,

Zhu Li, Tian Ma, Gou Teng, Zhi Zhu Mu, with Ling Yang Jiao Fen

(powder form)

 

Note: After decoction is poured into cup, add Ling Yang Jiao Fen

powder before drinking (treatment effect is better with this powder)

 

(4) Insufficiency of Brain Marrow (a.k.a. Senile Dementia Syndrome)

 

Symptoms: dementia, poor memory, tremor of limbs, when Kidney-

Essence is insufficient the brain cannot be supplied by enough marrow

so the sea of marrow are weakened and brain function is impaired from

lack of nourishment

 

Treatment Principles: Tonify Kidney to Provide Sufficient Marrow to

Nourish Brain

 

Base Formula: No Name

Ingredients: Zi He Che, Long Yan Rou, Zang Ren, Shu Di, Dang Gui,

Tai Zi Shen, Fu Ling, He Shou Wu, Hu Tao Rou (nut), Bai Shao

 

Treatment of Parkinson's with Herbs

Herbal treatment is effective in treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's is a chronic problem so person needs to take herbs

longterm, at least three months. (one course of treatment = three

months).

 

It is best to start treatment as early as possible. If it is started

early the neurons can be protected (Dopamine). The effect of TCM is

to treat symptoms, improve constitution and immunity, and slow

progression of the disease. TCM provides a treatment free of side

effects and is free of drug resistance, and is free of toxicity.

Certain herbs enhance blood circulation, and have an anti-aging

effect, have anti-oxidant function against free radicals, and

regulate micro/trace elements in the body.

 

Herb medicines can be made into a bolus (9 gr. Each bolus). Patient

should take two bolus, three times each day = six bolus per day (54

grams).

 

Taking of western medicine and Chinese herbs should be separate, for

example, herbs should be before meals and western drugs after meals.

 

Treatment of Parkinson's with acupuncture

Acupuncture is appropriate for early or middle stage treatment of

Parkinson's. It will: regulate function of Zang Fu organs, move Qi

in meridians and collaterals, regulate immune system, regulate

release of Acetylcholine and L-dopamine, and has action on nervous

system.

 

Main scalp points – Chorea and Tremor areas

Main body points – CV-20, GV-20, GV-24, GB-20, LI-4, LI-11, SJ-5, LV-3

Empirical point – Located on Heart channel, 1.5 cun below HT-3

Note: The above points are the general points, we also add other

points

 

For (1) Yin deficiency: add SP-6, KD-3, KD-7, and Jiaji's for UB-18

and UB-23

For (2) Deficiency of Qi and Blood: add ST-36, SP-9, and Jiaji's for

UB-20 and UB-21

For (3) Phlegm Heat stirring wind: add ST-40

For (4) Insufficiency of Brain Marrow: add Sishencong (4 pts around

GV-20), KD-3, Tai Yang, and Jiaji for UB-23

 

Note: GV-16 can be added to remove wind. Also, foot and motor

sensory area could also be used or alternated with chorea and tremor

area in treatments.

 

Generally a 1.5 cun acupuncture needle is used for all points, angle

for scalp is 45 degrees. For upper 1/5 of Chorea and Tremor, use two

needles---200 rotations per minute. Every ten minutes, manipulate

needles, total thirty minutes of treatment. Scalp can also be

stimulated by electricity frequency of 200 beats per minute,

stimulation is to tolerance of patient. You may use electrical

stimulation on GB-20 too, not on body points though, only on the head.

 

If tremor is one-sided, treat opposite side with scalp points, but

always needle body points bi-laterally.

 

TREAT WITH ACUPUNCTURE EVERYDAY OR EVERY OTHER DAY. Ten days = 1

course. ATLEAST three courses are needed.

 

Eat a foods that tonify the Kidney like small chestnuts, black sesame

seeds, Long Yan Rou, and especially Chan Dou. Chan Dou is a bigger

bean (thumb nail size) and is especially good for Parkinson's. Also,

E Jiao can be softened with wine, then add sesame seeds and

crystallized sugar, make into a powder or paste, refrigerate, and

make a tea with a spoonful each day.

----------------------------

 

The person presenting the herb lecture did not mention auricular

treatments being used for Parkinson's. Unless your patient is

willing to be treated with acupuncture everyday or every other day,

here are a few of Dr. Li-Chun Huang's auricular prescriptions to

consider adding to the above treatments:

 

Tonifying the Kidney:

Kidney, Liver, Heart, Endocrine, Pituitary, Thalamus, Adrenal Gland

 

Replenishing the Blood:

Spleen, Stomach, Kidney, San Jiao, Heart, Adrenal Gland, Blood point

 

Invigorating the Brain Function:

Kidney, Heart, Brain, Thalamus, Pituitary, Forehead, Smart Point,

Nervous Subcortex, Groove of Brain (Ear Posterior)

 

Note: In your auricular treatments, always include the point(s) on

the auricle which correspond to the affected limb(s) or body part

(neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, finger etc.).

 

Author's note: When I was in China (May 1997), I specifically

requested this lecture because I enjoy treating geriatric patients.

To this date, however, I have never treated anyone with Parkinson's.

Therefore, I have no personal experience using any of the above

treatment techniques. Since Parkinson's disease is considered to be

a difficult to treat, if someone tries the above techniques, please

share your results.

 

Best wishes,

 

Robert Asbridge, DOM

USA

[Guest guest]

What is 'traveling syndrome " ?

 

 

On Feb 17, 2007, at 11:47 PM, starguard_1 wrote:

 

>

> Based on literature of TCM and clinical practice it is associated

> with " Traveling Syndrome " of TCM and is believed to be caused by wind

> from a number of factors:

> (1) Yin deficiency of Kidney and Liver, and Hyperactive Liver Yang

> (2) Deficiency of Qi and Blood (giving rise to wind)

> (3) Phlegm Heat stirring wind

> (4) Insufficiency of Brain Marrow

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Robert Thank you for the post on Parkinson's. It is a really great outline.

 

There is another viewpoint, maybe better considered as a second opinion that

PD is NOT (1) Yin deficiency of Kidney and Liver, and Hyperactive Liver Yang

(2) Deficiency of Qi and Blood (giving rise to wind) (3) Phlegm Heat

Stirring wind (4) Insufficiency of Brain Marrow. These represent the

branches of the disorder not the root. The root cause of PD is chronic

Stomach meridian stagnation. http://www.pdrecovery.org/.

 

I have experienced two major stumbling blocks with typical TCM treatment.

1. knowing where to begin. The presentation is any of the 4 listed above

(typically #1 and #3)success seems to be measured as 2 steps forward 1

backward and often 2 backwards.

2. New stress factors added as the condition progress and is realized that

family, friends, and work are all terribly impacted

3. the introduction of western drugs that seriously impact any herbal

intervention. Patients often will take a razor blade and shave off (or add

on) a sliver of their Rx. Drastic effects if not exactly the right amount.

 

There has been remarkable success with the protocol outlined by the

PDRecovery group. Also on their website are new updates on PD and

prescription medicine.

 

I have treated several PD patients. This was all several years ago and I am

very glad I am not longer doing that field. I have since switched to Sports

Injury (I have done the martial arts for over twenty years) and the rewards

are almost instant. Helps when you deal with young athletic types.

 

Have a joyous and prosperous new year

 

Peace

 

Ed Kasper LAc. & family

www.HappyHerbalist.com

[Guest guest]

Ed,

I think the difference in approaches given between the pd recovery

people and the TCM information given is that the China TCM data is

based more on an herbal medicine model, the Santa Cruz data on an

acupuncture model. Having said that, I think both models given are

greatly over-simplified, and that there are much greater variations

in Parkinson's patients than what is listed in the previous e-mail

and here. Like all chronic illnesses, there are varying degrees of

severity, stage, symptoms, and as a result, diagnosis. It is never

correct in Chinese medicine to give just one point protocol or herbal

prescription for large numbers of patients, except perhaps in acute

epidemic situations.

 

 

On Feb 18, 2007, at 10:36 AM, Happy Herbalist wrote:

 

> Robert Thank you for the post on Parkinson's. It is a really great

> outline.

>

> There is another viewpoint, maybe better considered as a second

> opinion that

> PD is NOT (1) Yin deficiency of Kidney and Liver, and Hyperactive

> Liver Yang

> (2) Deficiency of Qi and Blood (giving rise to wind) (3) Phlegm Heat

> Stirring wind (4) Insufficiency of Brain Marrow. These represent the

> branches of the disorder not the root. The root cause of PD is chronic

> Stomach meridian stagnation. http://www.pdrecovery.org/.

>

> I have experienced two major stumbling blocks with typical TCM

> treatment.

> 1. knowing where to begin. The presentation is any of the 4 listed

> above

> (typically #1 and #3)success seems to be measured as 2 steps forward 1

> backward and often 2 backwards.

> 2. New stress factors added as the condition progress and is

> realized that

> family, friends, and work are all terribly impacted

> 3. the introduction of western drugs that seriously impact any herbal

> intervention. Patients often will take a razor blade and shave off

> (or add

> on) a sliver of their Rx. Drastic effects if not exactly the right

> amount.

>

> There has been remarkable success with the protocol outlined by the

> PDRecovery group. Also on their website are new updates on PD and

> prescription medicine.

>

> I have treated several PD patients. This was all several years ago

> and I am

> very glad I am not longer doing that field. I have since switched

> to Sports

> Injury (I have done the martial arts for over twenty years) and the

> rewards

> are almost instant. Helps when you deal with young athletic types.

>

> Have a joyous and prosperous new year

>

> Peace

>

> Ed Kasper LAc. & family

> www.HappyHerbalist.com

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Robert,

Thanks for posting this. In my opinion, it clearly points out

the shortcomings in transmission of Chinese medicine to Western

practitioners. Points of discussion:

 

1) The poor translation and/or explanation of concepts. Use of

capitalizations and poor rendering into English, ( " Seize Wind? " ),

confusion of biomedical and Chinese disease/pattern names

( " Insufficiency of Brain Marrow " " Senile Dementia Syndrome " ).

" Traveling syndrome " , anyone?

 

2) The oversimplification of patterns and treatments to four groups,

when there are many more possibilities. This includes the loss of

individualization of treatment and diagnosis to specific patients.

No stages, degrees of severity, or clear pattern differentiation is

given.

 

3) Claims of effectiveness. What does an 80% effective rate mean?

Any response? Remission?

 

4) Why is it necessary to reduce such complex diseases to simplified

xing/types, rather than the necessary complex patterns which such

diseases require in order to treat patients effectively in a

sophisticated manner?

 

5) Finally, I have to wonder about the repeated inquiries on how to

treat Western diseases with acupuncture and herbal medicine. While

these inquiries are valid, why are practitioners not educated in our

schools about these diseases, and even more importantly, why are

practitioners taught adequately on how to apply pattern

differentiation/diagnosis to individualize treatment for patients

with these diseases?

 

I think Sharon Weizenbaum is absolutely correct when she points out

the shortcomings in training and practice we suffer from in the

West. Such oversimplification of data as exhibited in the Beijing

International Acupuncture Training Center notes listed here does

nothing to help out matters.

 

 

On Feb 17, 2007, at 11:47 PM, starguard_1 wrote:

 

> Parkinson's Disease - Herb Lecture 21MAY97

> China Beijing International Acupuncture Training Center

>

> It is induced by infection, atherosclerosis, cerebral vascular

> disease, and/or drugs of anti-depressant nature. Cerebral trauma can

> lead to the disease. Symptoms include trembling limbs, rigid limbs,

> stiff muscles, while walking sometimes both arms will not swing with

> the gait, mask face (expressionless) due to stiff muscles in the

> face. They write characters smaller and smaller. When walking, they

> walk with smaller steps, very rapidly. Disease part of brain is the

> striatum (sp?).