Parkinson’s disease according to TCM

According to Western medicine, Parkinson’s disease is a clinical syndrome characterized by poor mobility, stiffness and tremors, resulting from damage to the basal ganglia of the brain. It is a neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system that is directly related to the loss of nerve cells in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra (black substance). These cells normally produce dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that ensures the transmission of signals between nerve cells (neurons). The lack of dopamine causes the patient to gradually become unable to control their movement. Parkinson’s disease is caused by an excessive loss of nerve cells that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine, a substance that regulates the activity of a part of the brain called the basal ganglia, in the brain. These are primarily involved in the control of mobility and a lack of dopamine will therefore cause a mobility disorders. Approximately 10,000 – 15,000 people suffer from this disease in our country today, and it is most common between the ages of 50 and 60. Dopamine can be replaced in various ways, yet serious mobility disorders occur in the advanced stages of the disease; the condition actually changes during the day. Patients can make the impression of almost healthy people several times a day and on the other hand only sit stiffly or suffer involuntary movements with a lot of effort. Tremor is a common manifestation. The states of sluggishness and stiffness or spontaneous movements make common life situations very difficult for some patients, e.g. clumsiness at the checkout in a supermarket, OFF states in which it is impossible to get going, situations in a restaurant, cinema, theatre, etc. Patients often have problems with communication, difficult articulation, poor writing. The often expressionless face and strange movements give a strange impression, but behind the “mask” there is an intelligent person. Depression can be the patient’s frequent companion, while other psychological problems are added in old age. So much for Western medicine.

What about TCM?

Parkinson’s disease is primarily seen as symptoms of liver wind GAN NEI FENG – tremors, severe dizziness and vertigo, tics, muscle twitching, numbness and tingling in the limbs. Liver wind GAN NEI FENG is always primarily caused by liver yin deficiency GAN YIN XU and liver blood deficiency GAN XUE XU, which therefore do not sufficiently nourish the tendons, ligaments and acupuncture pathways YING and LUO. But liver wind GAN NEI FENG can also result from other possibilities – heat RE, liver fire GAN HUO and the rise of liver yang GAN YANG SHI. For easier understanding, we can imagine yin as the oil in the engine, which is not enough (lack of yin and kidney and liver blood) and the engine overheats more easily (rise of the liver yang and liver wind) or in the case of an overheated engine (heat RE or liver fire HUO) a kind of hot wind is generated over the hot engine – like a forest on fire and a hot whirlpool swirling above it… Therefore, even in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, according to TCM, we must always nourish and stir up liver blood and dampen the wind.

Causes according to TCM

1. Overwork and excessive sexual activity. Work that is excessive, prolonged and without sufficient rest will weaken the essence of the kidney SHEN JING XU and especially kidney yin SHEN YIN XU over time. In addition, if overwork is accompanied by excessive sex in men, it leads to an even greater weakening of kidney essence SHEN JING XU. Kidney yin deficiency SHEN then generates inner wind NEI FENG.
2. Meals. Excessive consumption of fatty and greasy foods or sweets leads to the formation of mucus TAN, which over time combines with fire HUO, especially when alcohol is added. Fire HUO then results in the formation of inner wind NEI FENG.
3. Emotional stress.Anger, frustration, rage will cause the rise of liver yang GAN YANG SHI, which in time will allow inner wind NEI FENG to rise.

TCM Therapy