Acupuncture is renowned for its remarkable ability to enhance the human body's natural healing process by stimulating the central nervous system. It is used in the treatment of various diseases to alleviate symptoms or to relieve post-surgical after-effects. Yan Zhou, a New York-based acupuncturist, has successfully helped her patients ease the burden caused by Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder best known for causing uncontrollable body movements and balance problems. People with this disease may experience difficulty walking and talking, which can lead to behavioral changes such as sleeping problems, memory problems, and depression.
"Even though there are medicines that can be used to relieve some symptoms, the side effects that they cause are catastrophic to a lot of people such as poor appetite, nausea, vomiting and irregular heart rhythms," Zhou says, "that's something that acupuncture can help with."
The patient is an elderly Asian woman. The medication she took has caused a loss of appetite and serious sleeping problems. The worst part is that she had to rely on a walker to help her move and stand straight, which has caused her lower back pain because she has to bend over frequently.
Zhou tried local points near the patient's stomach and lower back to ease the symptoms; however, it was seeing little improvements. After doing some research on mobility disorders that are related to the nervous system, she discovered that scalp electro-acupuncture and needles along Du channel might be the best option to deal with it.
"From the perspective of acupuncture, there is also a separate system of points on the head. For disorders related to the nervous system, some stimulation on the head will work better," Zhou explains, "The use of electro-acupuncture can make sure the stimulation is long-lasting and stable."
Zhou was thrilled to see the noticeable improvement brought about by her treatment method. By combining scalp electro-acupuncture with Du channel treatment, the patient was able to sleep an additional three hours per night, something she had not experienced previously. She was so pleased with the results that she recommended this treatment to her friends who were also struggling with the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease is not the only neurological disorder that can be treated with acupuncture, according to Zhou. There are many more benefits of acupuncture that have yet to be explored. Growing up in a family with a medical background, she is devoted to the power of natural healing abilities and how they can be applied to treat diseases and improve the quality of life.
