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Hi Bob and Sid and All, I was in a car accident years ago (prior to Parkinson's diagnosis) and rehab was very speedy for my injuries. However, I had some latent PD symptoms and the physio guy tried to treat my stiff ankle (and my assymetry associated with my walk) with a TENS unit. I well recall his frustration (and mine) and his eventual conclusion.... "There is something here that is not consistent with a treatable injury". Four years later I was diagnosed a Parkinsonian and the "puzzle" was solved. What does it mean? I think my personal experience indicates a TENS unit may not help PD. I'll await the study that proves otherwise. All the best ...... murray (never tried acupuncture) On 31 Jan 2001, at 10:29, Robert A. Fink, M. D. wrote: > From: Sid Levin > Subject: Acupuncture for PD? Maybe TENS? > > > Acupuncture does help some types of pain by blocking afferent > > nerves, but it doesn't help PD. My latest hunch is that TENS > > (Transcutaneous Electronic Nerve Stimulator) might prove to have some > > value. It's the same principle that DBS works only its not implanted. > > Interes > > That is not the current concept of the way that acupuncture works (at > least in Western scientific thought). It is felt that acupuncture works > by causing the release of endorphins in the brain (the acupuncture > stimulates the brain), and that this is the mechanism for the pain > relief which is documented with acupuncture. This has been supported by > the fact that, in a patient who achieves pain relief with acupuncture, > you can block this relief with the administration of Naloxone, an opiate > and endorphin "blocker". > > Thus, the use of a TENS unit is felt to work via the same system; and, > as such, it (theoretically) would not work in PD. I would be interested > in good studies, however. > > > Best, > > Bob > > > Robert A. Fink, M. D. > 2500 Milvia Street Suite 222 > Berkeley, California 94704-2636 USA > 510-849-2555 > PLEASE NOTE: Because of the takeover of IBMNET by > AT&T, my new e-mail address, effective immediately, > is: > > <[log in to unmask]> > > The old <ibm.net> address will no longer > function after March 1, 2001. PLEASE CHANGE > YOUR ADDRESS BOOKS. ******************* [log in to unmask]