I have been treating a 72 year-old woman who has Parkinson’s disease for the last three years. The primary modality I have been using with her is acupuncture. The main benefit she has received from weekly treatments has been in her legs and feet. She consistently tells me that her feet are warmer when she receives acupuncture (they are often cold) and that her legs feel more alive and steady.
I typically needle points in her legs and feet, usually on the Spleen, Stomach, Kidney, Liver, and Gall Bladder channels. I also needle many points on her head. She frequently falls asleep within minutes of lying on the table.
The classical signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s appear in ancient Chinese medical texts, which indicates this disease has been around for a long time. The Nei Jing is the oldest of these texts, dating approximately 220 BC. The disease was designated as “feng fei” which roughly translates as wind stroke.