Parkinson’s Disease and CAM
PD Options From the Field of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
CAM studies show promising results for people with Parkinson's Disease who use physical therapy, occupational therapy, Integrative Manual Therapy, OMT and Chiropractics.
Breathing a bigger sigh of pain relief, striding more confidently, controlling the tremors, decreasing the irritation of restless leg syndrome are all reasons people with Parkinson’s disease are reaching for the telephone to make an appointment with their Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) practitioner, rather than increasing their medications.
Sometimes they look on the internet, sometime they have a friend of family member who has had successful pain and symptom relief with massage therapy. For others the medications have not controlled their Parkinson’s disease symptoms well enough and they heard from their physical therapist that Integrative Manual Therapy might help.
They might be among the one million Americans who have tremors, stiffness and trouble walking due to Parkinson’s disease. Fifteen percent of people with Parkinson’s disease are diagnosed before the age of 50. They are not ready to retire or give up on a good quality, active life.
More and more they are looking for drug-free, surgery-free solutions. Each wants to live life to its fullest.
A variety of Complementary and Alternative Medicine practitioners are looking at the symptoms of Parkinson’’s disease and have done studies on the benefits of physical therapy, Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT), occupational therapy, chiropractic, Osteopathic Manual Therapy, Integrative Manual Therapy, Qigong, Alexander Technique and music therapy.
Rivera-Martinez in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association found in 2002, that pressure from the bones of the head can contribute to the severity of the Parkinson’s symptoms. The Osteopathic researchers demonstrated that hands-on treatment of the occipitoatlantal joint, the space between the base of the head and the top of the neck, enabled participants to move and function better.
The occipital bone is the area which covers and protects the midbrain with the substantia nigra, which is the part of the brain most affected by Parkinson’s disease and the basal ganglia, which is responsible for the coordinating and fine-tuning movements.
Three years earlier, Wells found that people treated with Osteopathic Manual Therapy walked faster and more smoothly. The movement of the arms and legs was also less stiff after only one Osteopathic treatment.
A study on the effects of Integrative Manual Therapy on Parkinson’’s disease symptoms found substantial functional improvements with 60 hours of treatment.
A 62-year-old man diagnosed four years earlier with PD made improvements in virtually all functions that were assessed. According to the neurologist, his overall improvement was 48.6%, measured with the United Parkinson's Disease Rating Scores. Another test showed that in a month period, he went from 70 percent of normal function to 80 percent.
Stride length and walking speed are often what is most compromised early on in Parkinson’s disease. In the Integrative Manual Therapy study, this participate showed na 15 percent improvements in his walking. His stride was longer, smoother and faster.
Breathing and respiratory capacity influences how much oxygen is going to the tissue in need of support. In the Integrative Manual Therapy study, the 62-year-old man had the respiratory capacity of the 70-year-old at the beginning of the study (measured with a spirometer). At the end of the study he had improved from 2800 cc to 3300 cc and was now the proud owner of a pair of lungs, which were breathing more like a 50 year old.
His pain was mostly in his back and hips and improved 73%.
These changes are significant given the medical systems expected 3.1% annual increase in symptoms measured with the UPDRS motor scores and a 3.2% decline in function (Hoehn and Yahr staging levels).
Researchers are also looking at functional activities and how they can help people with Parkinson’s disease . One randomized controlled clinical trials looked at 93 people with PD and compared Alexander Technique, a movement based practice to massage therapy and to no additional intervention. Researchers concluded, "There is evidence that lessons in the Alexander Technique are likely to lead to sustained benefit for people with Parkinson's disease."
This clinical and empirical information will enable people with Parkinson's disease to consider Complementary and Alternative Medicine as a viable option and a way to increase their quality of life.
