Parkinson's

Parkinson's disease is characterized in Western medicine as a progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily affecting dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra. Symptoms manifest as both motor (tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia) and non-motor (depression, anxiety, anosmia) complications. While the etiology remains elusive, complications arising from the disease, rather than the disease itself, are the primary cause for concern. In contrast, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) postulates that Parkinson’s emanates from liver and kidney insufficiency, Qi and blood deficiency, and an excess of wind, fire, and phlegm. Studies in journals such as "Movement Disorders" and resources from the National Institutes of Health have explored these multiple etiological viewpoints and the efficacy of integrative treatments aimed at symptom management and underlying disease mechanisms.