REPAIRING AND REBUILDING NEURAL PATHWAYS

In the first 2 classes, we explored the causes of Parkinson’s disease symptoms and it is tempting to think that, once we have addressed/reversed those causes, our symptoms will simply disappear.

The truth is that, no matter what the original causes of our symptoms might be, over time there will be damage to neural pathways that must be repaired before we become fully well. In fact, it is the damage to neural pathways that cause most of our symptoms.

During much of the twentieth century, conservative medical researchers believed that, once nerves were damaged or dead, there was nothing to be done. Adventurous doctors, researchers, biologists, Complementary/Alternative Medicine practitioners, physical therapists and others slowly developed strategies that can reverse nerve damage, and recruit neural pathways from other parts of the brain to replace damaged or dead pathways.

We now see many people making good recovery (partial or fully) from stroke and acquired brain damage. There are techniques and strategies to enhance brain performance and possibly delay aging and associated brain dysregulation.

Everything we have discussed in previous classes is important as we work to repair neural pathways. Food, supplements, homeopathics, self-love, laughter, meditation, singing, dancing, exercise, detoxing and treating infections (if positive) all combine to help repair damage.

How will you know if there is neural damage affecting you? If you have symptoms, there is neural damage. The severity of symptoms will indicate how severe the damage is and the pattern of symptoms will indicate where the damage is and the activities most like to help.

In class 22, we discussed balance and mobility. The strategies detailed there serve to repair damage to neural pathways that affect your balance and mobility.

Here are some specific strategies to repair other pathways associated with different symptoms:

YOUR MOOD

MOOD – many People with Parkinson’s feel down, depressed, unmotivated, anxious and isolated. The feelings/emotions are the result of changes or damage to neural pathways in a number of parts of the brain. This damage results in mixed messages or reduced serotonin, dopamine, anandamide and other “reward” neurotransmitters.

The cause(s) of the damage can be old, unresolved trauma, toxins (food or environmental) or an infection attacking the nervous system.

By now, you have determined whether or not an infection is part of your overall health challenge (see class 16). If it is, make sure that treatment is progressing as needed, but look at some of the strategies below as well to help you through.

Toxins like mercury, lead, and aluminium have a profound effect of mood. But so do animal dairy products (except butter & ghee), grains, sugar and caffeine; so review foods in classes 3 & 4 and toxins in classes 14 & 15.

The resolution of old trauma is necessary for full wellness. This does not mean that you must “relive” circumstance’s (that may have even occurred in the womb, or so long ago you can’t really remember), or sit through hours of “talk therapy”. It does mean, however, that we must repair the physiological effects of that trauma which linger for many decades after the event.

Avoid those who negate or dismiss your feelings, or tell you to “buckle up and get on with it!”: these are people who either deny their own deep feelings, have never experience stress or trauma (unlikely) or want a “quick fix” for you so they can feel more comfortable.

Denying you the opportunity to express your feelings in a healthy and date environment exacerbates physiological damage.

This does not mean that we can, or should, spend time with friends and family bewailing our fate and moaning about how unlucky or miserable we are. But it does mean that, if we choose to spend some time away from those close to us finding ways to release emotional tension via various activities, we should be able to expect their support and understanding.

We may need to avoid spending time with some people who have been close to us in the past. For me, that meant not seeing some friends/family for two years so I could get on with healing without being criticised for my determination and focus on getting well.

Once you are well on the way to recovery, you may wish to reconstruct your relationship with these people (as I did) to create friendships that support both parties.

Self-love, laughter and meditation

I have written about this so often they must seem like a panacea for all ills. Well, in some ways, they are. Loving ourselves, laughing and meditating all enhance production of “reward” neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin and anandamide, plus endorphins (endogenous painkillers), and open up neural pathways. Enhancing the processes of peace and happiness (even if we don’t feel happy or peaceful) will assist in healing the physiological damage caused by past trauma or high stress.

Dancing and singing: these are very powerful; activities that will help us in many ways. Where stress, trauma and mood changes are concerned, singing and dancing allow us to express our emotions and deep feelings in a “safe” way; that is, we can sing songs that reflect our feelings (even when we don’t quite know what we are feeling) and dance in ways that release tension and tell stories.

There are many songs that have meaning for me, that supported me or helped me express very powerful emotions during my worst times, when I was alone. As I sang, I would move my body in storage but expressive ways (“dance”), cry, even wail sometimes, to release pent up tension, frustration, anger and despair. When we release pent up emotions like this, especially those that have been locked inside for many years, our nervous system can commence healing. We don’t even have to know the circumstances that created those feelings.

Homeopathic medicine: there are a number of homeopathic remedies and formulas designed to assist in repairing neural pathways damaged by trauma.

When possible, it is good to work with an experience homeopath to choose single remedies, potency and frequency of dose.

A number of homeopathic companies make combinations of remedies to help heal the effects of trauma. In Australia, we are able to purchase a combination made by Medicine Tree (a subsidiary of Brauer) called Formula Trauma/Post Trauma. I have used this formula at low dose for many years to assist those affected by past, sometimes forgotten, trauma.

The standard, recommended dose for Trauma/Post Trauma is 4 sprays under the tongue 4-6 times daily. This is useful to calm the effects of immediate trauma – that is, shortly after something terrible has happened. For those recovering from chronic disease, fragile, and attempting to repair physiological damage resulting from circumstances a long way in the past, I find a ore usable dose to be 2 sprays under the tongue twice daily over a long period (6 months or so).

Medicine Tree Formula Trauma/Post Trauma is available from Australian practitioners and may be available online from time to time. If you cannot find it, ask your local homeopathic practitioner or naturopath if they can make up a similar combination with the following remedies: Acid Phos. 18C, Aconite 30C, Arnica 15C 205C, Bellis Perennis 15C, Gelsemium 30C, Glandulae Suprarenales 7C, Hypericum 8C, Ignatia 15C 30C, Nat mur 30C LM1 LM2 LM3, Nat sulph 15C, Staphysagria LM1 LM2 LM3.

Some homeopathic companies in other countries make similar combination remedies, so it is worth asking local practitioners or health food stores, and/or looking online. Remember though it is best to use these remedies at a much lower dose than recommended so you can make slow and gentle progress towards wellness rather than being overwhelmed with the process.

Flower essences: Flower essences for healing have been used for thousands of years in various ways. Flowers or other plant parts may have been eaten, made into teas, worn in the hair or on the body, crushed and painted on skin or simply contemplated to bring changes to the emotional state of the user.

The thought that flowers and plants could help healing fell into disrepute with the rise of Western Allopathic Medicine with its focus on macro, antagonistic treatments, “fixing” things that we could see, and making large (enormous) profits.

Early in the twentieth century, Dr Edward Bach, an English doctor and homeopath, found new ways to use plants and flowers, and developed 38 remedies to help correct a wide variety of emotional states: http://www.bachflower.com/. Some of these single remedies were later combined to create useful “first aid” remedies like the famous Rescue Remedy for shock. These is a great deal of useful information on the website above.

Following Dr Bach’s example, many other dedicated healers developed flower essence remedies based on their local or national plants. For instance, there are Californian Flower Essences (http://www.fesflowers.com/), Australian Bush Flower Essences (http://ausflowers.com.au/), Alaskan Essences (https://alaskanessences.com/) and many others.

Flower essences may be safely used as self- administered remedies, or prescribed by an experienced practitioner. For self-administration, simply read through the descriptions on the site you choose (e.g. Bach or FES), purchase the essences that “resonate” with you, then take 3-5 drop under your tongue 2-3 times during each day (best away from food).

Some of my favourites from the Bach range are Aspen (“Vague unknown fears  for which there can be given no explanation, no reason. It is a terror that something awful is going to happen even though it is unclear what exactly. These vague inexplicable fears may haunt by night or day. Sufferers may often be afraid to tell their trouble to others.”), Mimulus (“Fear of worldly things, illness, pain, accidents, poverty, of dark, of being alone, of misfortune. The fears of everyday life. These people quietly and secretly bear their dread; they do not freely speak of it to others.”); in Australian Bush Flower Essences, Banksia Robur (disheartened, lethargic, frustrated), and Crowea (continual worrying, a sense of being “not quite right”), but there are many others.

Flower essences cannot harm you in any way. They work gently with emotional states to bring agitation or lethargy, or other “not normal” processes back to calmness and “normality (whatever that might be for you.

If you are able to work with an experienced flower essence practitioner (who are often naturopaths, homeopaths or other Complementary/Alternative Medicine practitioners), they may observe emotional responses that are inhibiting your wellness that you are not aware of, so can prescribe flower essences to help correct that.

Which ever way you do it, I encourage you to explore the wonderful world of flower essences for your health.

Painting or other art: Painting, sculpture (often with clay), pottery, wood working and other creative activities can be very healing for our deep emotional states.

There is significand research around painting for People with Parkinson’s and the way this helps them express their frustrations, fears, joys and celebrations, and share them with others.

Painting with watercolour, oils or acrylic may, of course, be done at home without any supervision and little cost except the materials used. However, there is benefit in learning basic painting techniques to enhance your self0expression, and even more benefit in sharing your work, feelings and expression with others in your group and /or teacher.

Several f my patients have become enthusiastic artists, gaining in social interaction as well as satisfaction in creating their own works.

One word of warning, oil and acrylic paints can be quite toxic, so make sure you work in a well-ventilated area and wash any residue off your skin. Watercolour paints are the least toxic and a good place to start.

Functional Neurology (Chiropractic): Chiropractic as is generally understood (i.e. spinal manipulation) has a place in the Complementary/Alternative Medicine range of therapies available. While this is not a therapy I recommend “main stream” recovery from Parkinson’s disease, there are times when spinal manipulation (Chiropractic or Osteopathy) is of benefit.

However, many chiropractors from around the world have studied with the American Chiropractic Neurology Board (https://www.acnb.org/Home.aspx) in a modality named Functional Neurology. This training enables Diplomates to thoroughly assess the health of any neural pathways and the balance between a wide variety of sensory and motor systems within our brain and nervous systems.

Assessments generally comprise of a number of movement and balance tests, saccades (eye movements) using basic equipment. Once the practitioner ascertains which systems or pathways are damaged or out of balance, they will prescribe “exercises” (movements) to correct this.

In my experience, once we correct one pathway, there will be another, and another – several “layers” of damage. However, these can all be repaired with dedication. As most prescribed exercises take 5-8 minutes 2-3 times daily, this work is not an arduous addition to your day and can be very effective.

Functional Neurology will be most effective when you are aloes fully involved in all the recovery strategies discussed previously.

Not everyone will have access to a qualified, valuable Diplomate from the ACNB. Recovery is possible without this work but, like Bowen and the Aqua Hydration Formulas, Functional Neurology can enhance the pathway.

Here is how to find a practitioner:

1. Go to the ACNB website Doctor Locator (https://www.acnb.org/DoctorLocator.aspx);
2. In the search area, if in USA, senior your state, if outside of USA, enter your country only (the software gets a bit confused if you enter specific locations outside USA);
3. Once a list appears, check for practitioners witching reasonable distance from your home;
4. I believe it is worth travelling for 1-2 hours if necessary as appointments can be 2-4 weeks apart;
5. For each possible practitioner, check that their certification is still current (right hand column);
6. If the certification is out of date, it may still be worth enquiring, but the practitioner may have decided that Functional Neurology is no longer part of their practice, so ask before traveling to see them;
7. When calling to make an appointment, try to have a 5 minute conversation with the actual practitioner before confirming the appointment (you will probably need to book a time for this) and explain your diagnosis, current strategies (food, self-help, etc) and make sure that the practitioner understands that you are seeking help with repairing and balancing damaged neural pathways, not a comprehensive treatment program;
8. It is a good idea, once an appointment is made, to email a list of food choices, nutritional supplements and other remedies to the practitioner so they are aware of your total program of recovery;
9. Very occasionally, Functional Neurology Chiropractors are also trained in/involved in nutritional supplements in which they have a vested interest; resist prescriptions that do not adhere to the guidelines in previous classes;
10. This has happened very rarely with my patients, but I feel it is worth waring you. In any Complementary/Alternative Medicine modality, there are large numbers of dedicated, sincere practitioners and a few exploiters who must be avoided.
11. If you are lucky enough to be within reach of a Functional Neurology Chiropractor, your work together might last for 6 months up to a couple of years.
12. Two case histories: A 65 year old woman diagnosed three year before seeing me and with wide-ranging symptoms, required assistance to walk (walking frame or cane plus husband). After one year of working through the recovery strategies as discussed and making significant improvements in many areas, I referred her to a Functional Neurology Chiropractor as her walking was still very challenging. After her first treatment, she was able to wow slowly without assistance. Each visit brought increased improvements in mobility. She saw the Functional Neurology Chiropractor each four weeks for approximately six months.

79 year male diagnosed two years prior to our meeting. Very typical Parkinson’s disease symptoms including bradykinesia, poor balance, inability to rise from a chair without using arms for support and anxiety. After making good improvements in energy, passive Parkinson’s disease symptoms, sleep and attitude, I referred him to a Functional Neurology Chiropractor for assistance with mobility and balance. After two visits, he was able to rise from a chair without using his arms, walk more quickly and his balance had improved significantly. He continues to see the practitioner each 4 weeks or so.

As I have said above, Functional Neurology is not NECESSARY for recovery, but can be very helpful if you are within reach of a suitable practitioner.

References

• COLEMAN John ND; “Stop Parkin’ and Start Livin’”; Michelle Anderson Publishing, Melbourne, Australia, 2005.