Alternative Therapies to Avoid a Stroke
Using Complementary and Alternative Medicine to Improve Circulation
A Community Consciousness and Brain Health Essay.
Once a stroke has happened there are dietary factors, exercises, acupuncture, Qigong, Integrative Manual Therapy, Reiki, Yoga and more CAM options to consider.
Every 45 seconds a person in the US has a stroke. It is the third leading cause of death in Western society, affecting 700,000 Americans and killing150,000 a year. There are lots of ways to decrease your risk factors for a stroke. Once a stroke has happened there are dietary factors, exercises and Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) options as well as medications to consider.
Acupuncture Helps People Avoid Complications of Stroke
In China stroke is the second most common cause of death in cities and the third in rural areas. World wide it is a major cause of disability.
Acupuncture for stroke has been used in China for hundreds of years and is increasingly practiced in Western countries, with beneficial effects. Noting that more acupuncture research is need, scientists in China found that fewer people died or needed to be institutionalized, as a result of the stroke. They said, “when acupuncture was compared with sham acupuncture or open control, there was a borderline significant trend towards fewer patients being dead or dependent in the acupuncture group after three months or more.” (Zhang, 2005)
Another acupuncture study found that pain caused by a lack of blood flow to an area, can be decreased by acupuncture. Researchers noted, clinical experience and controlled studies confirmed the efficacy of acupuncture in various pain syndromes, including tension headache, migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, posttraumatic pain. They suggest favorable effects in the rehabilitation of peripheral facial nerve palsy, Bell’s Palsy and stroke. “There is sufficient evidence of acupuncture to expand its use into conventional medicine and to encourage further studies of its pathophysiology and clinical value.” (Jellinger, 2000).
A functional MRI study, found acupuncture affects several parts of the brain, including the “left superior frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus, and dorsomedial nucleus of thalamus.” (Yoo, 2004). The thalamus is the part of the brain where we most experience pain and other sensations. The data suggested that the cerebellum (part of our sense of balance) serves as an important area activated during treatment of certain acupuncture (PC6) points.
Manual Therapy and Energy Work as an Adjunct in Stroke Rehabilitation
In a study looking at the use of Reiki in stroke rehabilitation programs, researchers found that the biggest benefit of the Reiki came in the form of mood and energy improvements. (Shiflett, 2002).
Qigong researchers are doing studies using sophisticated blood flow and cranial imaging equipment such as a Doppler sonography, EEG and near_infrared spectroscopy. What they are finding is that this Chinese meditation exercise appears able to change blood flow in the head. (Litscher, 2001).
In a study looking at manual therapy, researchers found, “treating the patients with drugs in combination with manual therapy resulted in improved circulation in the vertebral artery bed, lower clinical signs of vertebrobasilar insufficiency.” (Fedin, 1991). Some of the signs of problems with the vertebrobasilar arteries, a pair of blood vessels running up the neck into the head, is dizziness, headaches and trouble concentrating.
Another further study looked at Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) and found it “causes vessel narrowing followed by increased blood flow in the arterioles, capillaries and venulae of the skin as well as in peripheral arteries and an increased lymph flow in lymphatic collectors.” (Hutzschenreuter, 1989). Lymph drainage techniques are often very gentle, soothing hands-on techniques that increase the flow and detoxification of the lymphatic fluid. There are lymph vessels throughout the body with the highest concentration around the neck, armpits and fronts of the hips. A dysfunction of the lymph vessels is what contributes to swelling in the arms of the person who has had surgery for breast cancer. Normalizing the flow in the delicate lymph vessels can significantly improve drainage and decrease swelling.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine and The Heart
Cost can be a significant factor in the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)approaches. One 1996 study found, a “combined treatment with acupuncture, Shiatsu and lifestyle adjustment may be highly cost effective for patients with advanced angina pectoris (heart dysfunction).” (Ballegaard, 1996).
Another study suggested, Qigong exercise could significantly decrease the abnormal electrical activity in the heart and improve blood flow to the coronary artery (the arteries that supply the heart muscle). It can also decrease heart dysfunction after a heart attack. (Jin, 1992).
While a third study noted, the addition of manual therapy as an early rehabilitation measures after coronary artery bypass surgery “eliminates postoperative anginal attacks in 70% cases, reestablishes balance of cellular and plasma components of hemostasis, enhances fibrinolytic activity. The addition of manual therapy in the rehabilitation complex is recommended early after bypass surgery.” (Arutiunian, 2000).
Yoga and Acupuncture Effect on Blood Chemistry
Chemists looked at the blood chemistry in hatha yoga practitioners by evaluating their breathing response to hypercapnia (too much carbon dioxide in the blood) and arterial blood gases during ujjai respiration (yogic breathing) of once per minute for an hour. The average adult take 12 to 18 breaths per minute, which is a big difference from one breath per minute. The results suggest that professional hatha yoga practitioners have less sensitivity to high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood because their practice has allowed them to adapt to “low arterial pH and high levels of CO2 for long periods.” (Miyamura, 2002).
Another study looked at the effect of acupuncture on calcium levels, researchers concluded, “Electro-acupuncture could regulate the content of Ca2+ in the ischemic area of the brain, inhibit Ca2+ overload, so as to protect neurons from ischemic injury.” (Xu, 2002). Stroke is an example of ischemic injury, where a part of the brain does not get the oxygen that it needs to function and some of the brain cells die.
Muscle Function and Circulation
Stress, muscle spasm in the vascular wall and peripheral blood pressure all affect the risk for strokes, heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems. A number of complementary and alternative medicine approaches have been shown to be beneficial in decreasing the risk of cardiovascular incidence.
In a 2004 study, the Berg Balance Scale and Timed Movement Battery test improvements with yoga, leading researchers to conclude, “the results suggest that yoga may be beneficial to people who have had a stroke.” (Bastille, 2004).
Another study hypothesized that yoga and meditation improves endothelial function. The endothelium is a layer of skin that lines the inside of the blood vessel. It is the layer between the blood flowing through the vessel and the rest of the blood vessel wall.
A course in yoga and meditation was given to 33 people with and without coronary artery disease for an hour and a half, three times a week for 6 weeks. The participants were encouraged to continue practicing at home. Researchers found, a significant reductions in blood pressure, heart rate, and Body Mass Index (BMI) in the total group with yoga. (Sivasankaran, 2006).
Another yoga related study looked at the short-term impact of a comprehensive but brief lifestyle intervention, based on yoga. The subjects had history of hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, psychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety, ‘stress’), gastrointestinal problems (non ulcer dyspepsia, duodenal ulcers, irritable bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, chronic constipation) and thyroid disorders (hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism) or were healthy without any of these conditions..
The intervention consisted of Asanas, Pranayama, relaxation techniques, group support, individualized advice, and lectures and films on philosophy of yoga, the place of yoga in daily life, meditation, stress management, nutrition, and knowledge about the illness.
“Among the diseased subjects significant improvement was seen in the anxiety levels of patients of hypertension, coronary artery disease, obesity, cervical spondylitis and those with psychiatric disorders. The observations suggest that a short educational program for lifestyle modification and stress management leads to remarkable reduction in the anxiety scores within a period of 10 days.” (Gupta, 2006).
Another study found that Yoga lifestyle intervention slows or stops the progression of damage to the heart blood vessels in people with severe coronary artery disease. It also improves symptoms, what the person is able to do and some of the risk factors important in preventing another circulation related event. (Manchanda, 2000).
Qigong Reduces the Need for Medications
In a study on the use of Qigong in combination with medications, researchers found the hands-on and energetic techniques of qigong to be beneficial in reducing cardiovascular problems and strokes. They noted, “the therapeutic role of qigong exercises combined with drugs is reported for three medical conditions that require drug therapy for health maintenance: hypertension, respiratory disease, and cancer. In these studies, drugs were administered to all patients who were divided into two groups, a group that practiced qigong exercises and a control group that did not. Taken together, these studies suggest that practicing qigong exercises may favorably affect many functions of the body, permit reduction of the dosage of drugs required for health maintenance, and provide greater health benefits than the use of drug therapy alone. For hypertensive patients, combining qigong practice with drug therapy resulted in reduced incidence of stroke and mortality and reduced the dosage of drugs required for blood pressure maintenance. (Sancier, 1999).
Reflex Points for Vascular Function
In 1973, Kamenetskii did a study looking at the value of therapies using reflex points to improve vascular tone after a stroke. (Kamenetskii, 1973) At The Center for Integrative Manual Therapy the use of reflex point for clinical treatment and for self-care programs has benefitted many clients with cardiovascular dysfunctions. These reflex points have names like “Synchronizers” (Giammatteo, 1997), “Hypothalamus Regulation Mechanisms”, and “Reference Points”. They are used to improve cranial circulation and decrease muscle spasm during the course of the treatment of people with strokes, post heart attacks, migraines and other cardiovascular conditions.
IMT and Strokes
One Integrative Manual Therapy course focuses on improving function of the muscles and systems of the body in someone with a stroke. Another training program focuses on normalizing blood flow in the head and addresses the neurological dysfunction caused by the stroke.
In a case report on the use of Integrative Manual Therapy with a 78 year old man with high blood pressure and a recent stroke, the clinician noted, “prior to therapy, the patient presented with slurred speech, decreased comprehension, and loss of balance in walking. The patient’s main goal was to be discharged from the hospital. The man was treated with several Cranial Therapy techniques. After the treatment was completed, the patient presented with significant improvements in speech and comprehension and an improvement in balance during walking. The patient was discharged from the hospital the very next morning.” (Dillon, 2003). The therapist continued, “To be released from the hospital, he has to be able to answer questions clearly without slurring his speech as well as be able to show he is no longer confused in his thinking, and be able to walk without balance problems.”
In another case of a baby who had a stroke, the parents reported, “Andy had a stroke just prior to his birth. We were told he might never sit up unassisted, walk, run, or speak. We sought out therapists to help Andy. When he was 9 months old, we brought him to The Center for Integrative Manual Therapy and Diagnostics (CenterIMT). We visited for two days, about 8 hours of therapy. The following day Andy began to crawl for the first time. Subsequent trips have given him the abilities to walk, jump, run and speak. He was originally diagnosed as a hemiplegic (limited use of his entire left side). Throughout CenterIMT and follow ups with his incredible occupational and physical therapy team at home, Andy has shown significant abilities with his left hand and fingers. He has increased mobility overall, and cognitively has begun to read and write at the age four.”
Another therapist reports, “I made mom stay up late Sunday night, so I could work on her before bed. I used the nervous system reflex techniques (LEVO). She had very remarkable results. Her neck and shoulder pain is gone. But the big change was her blood pressure which has dropped from a very consistent 180/80 to 140/78. She is much more comfortable now. Most of her health problems surfaced after an auto accident with a neck injury. Her medical diagnosis is unexplained vasospasm of the vertebrobasilar artery in the neck.”
With all the empirical (results oriented) and clinical research reports on the benefits of complementary and alternative medicine. There are 700,000 American who could benefit from seeking out the best of what the health-care community has to offer.
