Parkinson’s disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders. Pharmacological treatment (including levodopa) remains the standard of care, but its effectiveness gradually declines over time. Therefore, an increasing number of medical centers worldwide are turning to acupuncture as a supportive method.
Europe
- In Germany, acupuncture is a reimbursed treatment method within the health insurance system. It is utilized, among other things, in the therapy of chronic pain and neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease – both in university hospitals and pain clinics.
- In France and the United Kingdom, acupuncture finds its place in integrative medicine centers. The British National Health Service (NHS) includes acupuncture in selected units for the management of chronic pain and as a supportive therapy for chronic illnesses.
United States
- In the USA, acupuncture has been integrated into the practice of many renowned centers, such as the Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicates in its reports that acupuncture is effective and safe in pain therapy and as a support in the treatment of chronic diseases, including Parkinson’s.
- The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) officially recognizes acupuncture as a supportive method for chronic pain therapy, which has paved the way for its widespread clinical application.
Asia
- In China, Japan, and Korea, acupuncture is an integral part of the healthcare system and a commonly used therapy for Parkinson’s disease.
- In large clinical hospitals, such as Peking University Third Hospital or Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, patients with Parkinson’s have parallel access to both pharmacotherapy and acupuncture.
- Chinese clinical trials conducted by Prof. Junrong Liu and colleagues, among others, have shown that acupuncture reduces motor symptoms (as assessed by the UPDRS scale) and improves the quality of life for patients.
Scientific publications
- Lee et al. (2017), “Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine” – a meta-analysis of 25 RCTs showed that acupuncture added to pharmacological treatment significantly improves scores on the UPDRS II and III scales compared to pharmacotherapy alone.