Parkinson’s

Alternative treatment for Parkinson’s

disease

For those people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, they have to find their treatment through a qualified doctor. However, there are a lot of people who are not really keen about the traditional treatment for Parkinson’s disease. There are also people who have been taking the traditional medication for Parkinson’s without seeing too much of a result. It is for these people that alternative treatment is recommended.
Alternative treatment includes dietary changes, exercise, massage, ayureda, aromatherapy, yoga, chiropractic treatment, hypnosis etc. Here are a few such alternative treatments for Parkinson’s:

    1. Acupuncture: Acupuncture is a needle based therapy that originated in China. It is said that it can help reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease in a person.
      Acupuncture is not a cure for Parkinson’s, it just makes sure that the symptoms and effects of Parkinson’s, such as sleeplessness, dementia and depression are reduced.
      Acupuncture is deep brain simulation treatment. Since cognitive and motor effects of Parkinson’s are related to the brain, brain simulation will certainly be able to help.
      It can also have a positive effect on the motor coordination, muscular spasms, cramps, tremor, rigidity, etc. felt by a Parkinson’s patient.
      It should be kept in mind that while Acupuncture is widely promoted as an alternative treatment for Parkinson’s, it is not medically sanctioned, so the effect might not be that large, depending on the people.

 

  1. Tai Chi: Tai Chi is basically a Chinese martial art. It uses slow, rhythmic movement of the body. It has gotten some attention in medical fields since it was claimed that practicing Tai Chi could be a potential alternative treatment for Parkinson’s.
    It is well known that there are a lot of motor coordination troubles among people who have Parkinson’s disease. Tai Chi is a martial art that connects the mind and the body and is said to reduce the mental and physical symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.
    A study done by Fuzhong Li in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that Tai Chi can help alleviate stress and allows better control over movement.
    UCLA Psychiatrist Michael Irwin is of the opinion that Tai Chi could retrain certain parts of the brain through guided meditation which is how it acts as one of the alternative treatments of Parkinson’s.
  2. Medical Supplement of Coenzyme Q10: Coenzyme Q10 is a substance that is found lacking among people who have Parkinson’s disease. There are a lot of studies researching the effects of Coenzyme Q10 on the brain, establishing its relationship with Parkinson’s and its effectiveness as an alternative medicine for Parkinson’s.
    It is said that taking necessary supplements of Coenzyme Q10 would act as an alternative medicine for Parkinson’s.
    A study conducted in UCSD tested the effect of supplements of Coenzyme Q10 on animal brains. It was found that it does protect the part of the brain that is affected during PD. Several other studies conducted at Cornell University and NINDS also show the same. This might be one of the approved alternative medicine for Parkinson’s.
  3. Supplements of Vitamin E: Vitamin E is considered to be an alternative treatment for Parkinson’s as well. It is suggested that people who suffer from Parkinson’s take around 900- 1200 IU of vitamin E every day, for it can soothe some symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
    Vitamin E can be one of the potential treatment for Parkinson’s because of the fact that it is a very good antioxidant. It can aid in the protection of the brain, which, in turn will reduce the effects of Parkinson’s.
    Since vitamin E combats aiding process, it will help people battle the effects of Parkinson’s disease.
  4. Dieting: This might sound like a clichéd treatment for Parkinson’s, for it is suggested for almost all other diseases as well. But dieting is something that can really those seeking alternative treatments for Parkinson’s.
    Consumption of more vitamin B12 would help people battling Parkinson’s. Vitamin B12 is abundantly found in animal protein. For vegetarians, it can be found in fortified cereals.
    Eating foods that are rich in antioxidants such as berries, beans, potatoes, apples, fish, etc can help.
    Taking supplements or eating food that has a high concentration of omega 3 fatty acids such as salmon, flax seeds, sardines, walnuts etc. would also help.

NOTE: These are only potential treatments for Parkinson’s disease – their efficiency would depend on the person and the medical treatments and exercise regime they’re following.