Whether you’re going to the doctor for a flu shot, a dermatologist to undergo microneedling for wrinkles, or an acupuncturist for physical pain, we can all agree that puncturing your skin with needles can be a bit scary. But what if one of these could be helpful in treating symptoms of anxiety?
According to a recent study in the medical journal JAMA Network Open, researchers discovered acupuncture may help treat anxiety—especially in adults with Parkinson’s disease.
“Our study provides clinical evidence and support for acupuncture to improve Parkinson’s anxiety,” Li-xing Zhuang, PhD, study author from Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine in China, told Seasons in an email. “Previous studies have confirmed that acupuncture can treat anxiety disorder, and previous studies have shown that acupuncture has a certain positive effect on PD.”
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese method meant to improve health or relieve certain health conditions by using thin, solid, metallic needles that are inserted into a person’s skin at multiple “acupoints,” which are meant to stimulate the central nervous system, rebalance the body’s energy and release chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord and brain.
“Acupuncture focuses on restoring balance and flow in the body,” said Joey Chan, a registered acupuncturist at Chipperfield Physiotherapy. “It activates the pathways between the nervous system and the endocrine systems.”
The study evaluated 70 participants with PD that either received real acupuncture or “sham acupuncture.” Using scores from the Hamilton Anxiety Scale – which evaluates degrees of anxiety – the authors found those who received real acupuncture had higher clinical improvement for anxiety than those who received the sham acupuncture. In addition, participants in the real group had a noticeable improvement in quality of life and positive effects on their overall condition.
Participants … had a noticeable improvement in quality of life and positive effects on their overall condition.
“The remarkable achievement of this study is that it preliminary confirmed that the improvement of anxiety is not only the improvement of emotion but also conducive to the improvement of the overall situation of PD,” Zhuang said.
He added that approximately 31% of patients with PD are diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease Anxiety, which aggravates the progression of the disease and results in symptom fluctuations. In addition, about 40% of PD patients suffer from anxiety, according to the Johns Hopkins Movement Disorders Psychiatry Clinic.
With what this study found, Zhuang said the “hope is to see that PD patients with anxiety can not only reduce their anxiety symptoms, but also better recover their motor function, and even delay the progress of the disease after receiving corresponding treatment.”
How acupuncture may help alleviate symptoms of anxiety
After conducting a comprehensive review with someone living with PD, a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine will be able to make a diagnosis that tells them which acupuncture points on the body will be receiving the needles, said Stace Nelson-Hicks, DACM.
Depending on where the needles are placed, acupuncture can stimulate the nervous system to produce pain-killing chemicals, energize the body’s natural ability to heal itself, or even trigger the part of the brain that controls emotions, such as anxiety.
“These acupuncture points have particular functions, which can stimulate the body’s own resources for healing,” she added. “In the case of this specific study, the researchers used standardized points, mostly on the head and scalp, as well as one on the wrist and one on the lower leg. All of these points are used traditionally to calm and nourish, which in turn reduces anxiety.”
Health experts also believe acupuncture could be useful for other symptoms experienced by adults with PD, including depression, insomnia, stress, memory and attention, or common physical symptoms (like tremors, stiffness, movement disorders, problems with balance/coordination and slow movements).
“Since acupuncture treats the whole body, it will be able to treat the physical and psychological symptoms of PD together,” Chan said. “Acupuncture for PD will be a continuous treatment in conjunction with other treatment modalities.”
Nelson-Hicks added that because many traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners specialize in neurology and/or orthopedics, many of these same principles can be applied to Parkinson’s.
However, Zhuang noted more research is needed to better understand if acupuncture may have a positive therapeutic effect on other symptoms of PD.
How to explore acupuncture treatment for Parkinson’s
People ready to explore acupuncture for the treatment of PD anxiety should always look for a registered acupuncturist, a registered practitioner of TCM or a registered doctor of TCM.
Many states have websites that verify their practitioners, and the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine will often include a list of certified acupuncturists online, Nelson-Hicks said.
Another method is to ask friends, colleagues and physicians for recommendations if you’re looking for a certified and licensed practitioner, or speak to your loved one’s primary care doctor if you have any questions about the practice.
“If someone is interested in trying acupuncture, the best practitioner to talk to is an acupuncturist!” Nelson-Hicks said. “An experienced practitioner will explain whether there is a fit between their scope of practice and your health concern. Of course, you can always speak to your primary care physician or neurologist.”