What alternative therapies have you tried?

I think it would be really interesting to hear what, if any, alternative therapies others have tried for their Parkinson's and how they worked.

If I tried everything people suggested to me, I'd be spending all my time (not to mention money) taking numerous supplements, getting reiki, jin shin, and acupuncture treatments, juicing vegetables, etc. The mind/body connection thing came up, too, with a couple of acquaintances telling me I should just refuse the diagnosis of Parkinson's and certainly not go on any medication. Obviously I didn't take that last one seriously. Would they have told someone with cancer to just refuse the diagnosis?

I do believe in holistic health and have used some alternative therapies for other challenges, with great success. Haven't explored this with my PD much.

Any thoughts?

I personally have not tried alternative therapies for my Parkinson's. You may want to review statements made by Mayo clinic staff on their web site. It addresses the following:
• Coenzyme Q10.
• Massage.
Acupuncture.
• Tai chi.
• Yoga.
• Alexander technique.
• Meditation
• Music therapy

I participated in a clinical trial of acupuncture for fatigue in Parkinson's patients. I found out about at the Michael J Fox "find trials" site - see foxtrialfinder.michaeljfox.org/trial/2526/.

I received twelve treatments (two per week for six weeks). Half the people received the real treatment, half the sham. Neither the patients nor the doctors running the study knew who received the real treatment - only the acupuncturist knew. The patients were blindfolded. In the real treatment, the needle is placed wherever it's supposed to go. In the sham treatment, the area is pricked lightly, but no needle is inserted.

At the end of the study, people were told (I received the real treatment). I didn't notice any effect from the treatment, unfortunately.

"At the end of the study, people were told (I received the real treatment). I didn't notice any effect from the treatment, unfortunately."


Did the study produce any definitive results?