There is More Than Medicine To Treat Parkinson's

Your medications are vital to maintaining your Parkinson’s disease, but there are complementary therapies and other opportunities that you can take advantage of to better your health, on your own.

Talk with your neurologist about what you are considering. Depending upon your comfort zone, some therapies may be out of the realm of your idea of what you are alright with. My best advice is to keep an open mind and be a little skeptical. Some therapists may offer an introductory discount, a sample of their work for free, or some offer to show that they are willing to work with you.

Research complementary therapies options

What may work for some, may not work for others. Persistence and seeking complementary therapies may help to relieve tension, stress, and anxiety, which all contribute to compounding the effects of Parkinson’s disease. Do your research into what is available in your area.

Beware of exaggerated claims of improvements from providers, yet don’t close the door on any one therapy without doing your homework to the potential efficacy of the therapy. Try to get sound referrals, from those who you trust. Sometimes, a therapy may just drop in your lap, as it did for me.

I wasn’t looking for any type of therapy at the time, and yet rather than me going to it, it came to me. Sometimes, lightning hits in the right places.

Reiki for Parkinson's

I had never even heard of reiki and if I had, I probably would have rejected it. I think the reason I was willing to experiment with reiki was due to the man who introduced me to this remarkable therapy. He started as a complete stranger and became a mentor, a friend, and a teacher.

This gentleman, Gilbert, had just moved his office less than a mile from my house. My father, who was several states away, got a referral from a friend that a certain therapy might be good for Parkinson’s disease, and that I should find someone in my area who performed that therapy. After some digging, I found Gilbert, who performed that therapy but also practiced reiki. I went to see him and he explained his work.

He told me that he did several modalities of energy work and that reiki was a way to replenish the body’s energy. He explained that we lose energy due to stress and the act of daily living. I, at first, found the thought of reiki to be hokey and ridiculous. But I realized that as long as I was there, I had little to lose. My wife had come to the appointment with me, and she felt similarly. I decided to try the reiki but she had told me that she wanted to decline.

Complementary therapies can provide relief

I was tired and having a tough day. I got on the massage table. I was fully clothed and lying on the table. I immediately fell asleep and woke an hour later, feeling refreshed and so much more energized. My wife, seeing how good I was feeling, immediately changed her mind. She found the same amazing results that I had experienced. Almost 20 years later, we are now reiki masters.

I have tried cranialsacral therapy, yoga, massage, acupuncture, qi gong, meditation, and a few others.

I would say that most have given me some relief, some more than others. Everyone is different, and it is up to the individual to find the therapy that works for them. Be careful, skeptical, but open and alert to make sure that your provider is reputable. I encourage you to find a non-invasive therapy to try.