Acupuncture for MS in Children a good alternative or a bad idea?
Posted: July 23, 2008 at 9:10 pm | Tags: Acupuncture Davie and Cooper City Florida, Acupuncture for MS Children
Acupuncture for MS in Children a good alternative or a bad idea?
I first met Sean a few months back through his mom Debra who had become a regular at our yoga studio. It was immediately evident just in our after class chit chat that she was grounded and devout. As our conversations turned to family, we learned that her teenage son Sean had been diagnosed with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis, a devastating form of MS which strikes at early age, provides n relief of periodic remission and, of course, has no cure.
Normally, MS, a condition in which the body assails its own nervous system, is more common in women and develops in adulthood. So, when at age ten Sean became symptomatic and suffered chronic erratic ailments from ocular degeneration to lower body motor skill atrophy, it took years and countless, frustrating doctors’ visits (being told he was just gangly and going through awkward growing spurts) to finally arrive at a diagnosis in 2006. Sean ended up having to give up soccer, playing the drums and progressively his freedom of movement and mobility. Since 2006 he has received numerous aggressive treatments including a steroid regiment and now is on a experimental program in which he receives IV infusions monthly of Tysabri, a drug which has such potentially lethal side effects, such as PML (a rare brain infection), that Debra and her husband began looking for alternative solutions.
That brought them to Dr. Qingming Zhu at his neurology clinic for scalp acupuncture in Santa Cuz, California. Treating a range of neurological problems, including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, paraplegia, post-stroke syndrome and MS, after a few sessions, Sean found it to painful and the distance too impractical to continue.
Then Anjali Brahmbhatt, a recent graduate and Florid Licensed Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture Physician hung out her shingle at our studio. Eager confident and full of hope, she and Debra met and through a series of in depth interviews, Anjali used Dr. Zhu extensive research to plot her strategy for Sean.
Hearing from Debra and Anjali that Sean was responding to the sessions and learning the subject for this month’s magazine was children’s health, I decided to see for myself. Sean had only 4 treatments. Debra, Sean and Anjali graciously permitted me to sit in on his 5th two-hour session to observe and ask any questions I might have.
Anjali began by implanting eight needles at predetermined locations into Sean’s scalp, which were electrically stimulated at varying intensities and adjusted while receiving feedback from Sean. From questioning him and observing as he came in, the major difficulty he was having was that his left leg would not “cooperate.” He said it was as if it “locked up” on him. (Anjali told me it was a result of his not receiving impulses from his brain to the nerve in his leg). This in turn gave him a swinging gait, a lack of balance and he was easily fatigued.
Condensed, the premise behind acupuncture is that channels of energy run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. These energy channels, called meridian, are like rivers flowing through the body to irrigate and nourish the tissue. An obstruction in the movement of these energy rivers is like a dam that backs up. Acupuncture needles unblock the obstructions at the dams and reestablish the regular flow through the meridians. Needling stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles, spinal chard and brain. These chemicals will either change the experience of pain, or (in Sean’s case) they will trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones, which influence the bodies own internal regulating system. Improved energy and biochemical balance produced by acupuncture results in stimulating the body’s natural healing abilities, and in promoting physical and emotional well being.
Within the two hours Anjali connected and disconnected Sean three times to the electrical stimulation. Three times he was instructed to walk the length of the room. His gait improved after each 15-20 minute stimulation so that by the last, even though he was noticeably fatigued, he crossed the room with much less difficulty. He had regained some “cooperation” from his leg, Anjali continued with other needling directly to his leg in addition to acupressure seed implants in his ears to help his mental clarity.
Although no suggestion is being made at this time to replace his medication with alternative approach, no doubt exists that a combination of western and Eastern practices is what may be necessary to treat this and other debilitating diseases and to improve the quality of Sean’s life.
And if attitude could fully cure what ails you, Sean would certainly be healthy by tomorrow. What a strong soul. That apple didn’t fall far from that family tree.
Also, a thank you to Anjali for her cooperation, professionalism and insight. I know she has an amazing and rewarding career ahead of her.
Donald Watson
Sales Manager and Promotions for Temple Arts
Can be reached at www.templeartsfitness.com
Or call (954) 916-6116
