Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Essential Tremors

Essential Tremors

Essential Tremors are the most common movement disorder.  While the cause of Essential Tremor (ET) is still unknown, Western Medicine calls it a nerve disorder.  It is thought to be abnormal electrical brain activity that is being processed through the thalamus.  The thalamus is deep in the brain and controls and coordinates muscle activity.  While ET is not a natural part of the aging process, it does tend to show up between the ages of 40 and 50, though it also can be present in childhood.  About 10 million people in the US are affected.  Genetics are responsible for about half the cases. 

Symptoms include:  shaking in upper limbs and/or head, a shaking voice, tremors that get worse during emotional stress, tremors that get worse with purposeful movement, problems with balance and fine motor skills.  Other diseases and factors that manifest these symptoms include Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fatigue after exercise, extreme emotional distress, brain tumors, some prescription drugs, metabolic abnormalities, and alcohol or drug withdrawal.  It can also be attributed to thyroid disease, excessive caffeine intake or side effects from medication.

Western Treatments include medications, focused ultra sound and, when severe enough, surgery.  Medications of oral drugs include Inderal, Neurontin, Mysoline, and Topamax.  Other options include tranquilizers and also Botox injections (helpful for head and vocal tremors).  The surgery involves implanting electrical leads into the thalamus.

When researching how massage therapy can help ET, I came across a case of a 63-year old female who was affected in her hands and head.  During a 5 week study, the aim was to reduce the firing of the sympathetic nervous system and so the techniques they used were relaxation-based, including Swedish massage, hydrotherapy, myofascial release, and diaphragmatic breathing. 

The woman showed improvement in the fine motor skills affected by tremors after each session.   She also had an increase in her cervical range that was observed between her first to last visit.  The article went on to say that more studies need to be done, but it is believed massage therapy eases tremor intensity through encouragement of the parasympathetic response.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tremors, whether ET or as a symptom of a larger disease like Parkinson’s, are thought to be a Yin deficiency of the Kidney and Liver.  This deficiency generates “Internal Wind” which arises from the Liver.  The Liver is looked at as a whole body system the controls movement by ensuring nourishment for the tendons and regulating the smooth flow of Qi through out the body.  To preform this function, the Liver needs adequate of Yin and blood that help supply the nourishment needed for the body.  This is generated in the Kidneys and is considered Kidney-essence.  When Kidney-essence is deficient it leads to malnourishment of the tendons, which puts the tendons into a spasmodic state and creates the movement of shaking that is similar to wind.  Other symptoms related to Internal Wind are that of dizziness and stiffness.

Another image of deficient Kidney Yin is lack of body fluids and dehydration.  Kidneys relate to the water element.  Imagine the land that has been through a long drought and the dryness that occurs. This causes agitation, which stirs up a dry wind that blows through the barren landscape. This is Internal Wind.

Internal Wind can also result from diseases that damage the Liver such as excessive use of alcohol and drugs, or a history of emotional irritability and anger.  Finally, External Wind can enter the body and create Internal Wind.  Symptoms of External Wind often include aches and pains.  Internal Wind then moves that into shaking and trembling.

It is believed that after 40 years of age, Yin starts to decline and can be decreased by half.  This gives rise to Liver Yang agitation that then creates Internal Wind.  This is why it is not uncommon to see tremors appearing in middle to older ages.

Treatments for Internal Wind and ET is a mixture of acupuncture, herbal formulas, and diet.  The approach to any treatment would include a survey to determine the patient’s constitution, including diagram of characteristics that show a persons constitution, past history, family history and associated symptoms.  From there, the focus would be on nourishing Kidney and Liver Yin while sedating and calming the Internal Wind.  Each individual would have a complex formula specific to his or her constitution, which makes it very difficult to have just one formula that would work for everyone. 

One case I found online, is of a 38 year old white female with tremors in both her head and upper extremities.  Since the age of 2 or 3 she had shaking of the upper limbs but now her head was shaking so badly she couldn’t take it anymore.  Several medical centers told her she had to live with the tremors and hopefully find some relief from the medication prescribed: propranolol and diazepam.  She turned to Chinese medicine.

Her constitution was determined and she did a series of 3 acupuncture sessions.  Two months after the last session she returned showing no symptoms.  She had stopped taking propranolol and was only taking diazepam at 5 mg twice a day.  They advised her to slowly come off diazepam and come in for more treatments if symptoms reappeared.  She returned after 3 months off medication and completely symptom free.

Traditional Chinese Medicine can be extremely successful with chronic ailments, like Essential Tremors.  I believe that is because every case is treated uniquely, as each individual is unique.  Never believe that something can not be healed.  Our bodies are more powerful than we know, we just have to learn to listen. 

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3 comments:

Natural Herbs Clinic said...

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Natural Herbs Clinic said...

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Jessica Sarah said...

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