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Acupuncture & Fahr’s Syndrome

abstracted & translated by
Honora Lee Wolfe, Lic. Ac., FNAAOM (USA)

Keywords: Chinese medicine, acupuncture, Fahr syndrome

Fahr’s syndrome is a rare, genetically dominant, inherited neurological disorder characterized by abnormal deposits of calcium in areas of the brain that control movement, including the basal ganglia and the cerebral cortex. Symptoms of the disorder may include deterioration of motor function, dementia, seizures, headache, dysarthria (poorly articulated speech), spasticity (stiffness of the limbs) and spastic paralysis, eye impairments, and athetosis (involuntary writhing movements). Fahr’s syndrome can also include symptoms characteristic of Parkinson’s disease, such as tremors, muscle rigidity, a mask-like facial appearance, shuffling gait, and a "pill-rolling" motion of the fingers. These symptoms generally occur later in the development of the disease. More common symptoms include dystonia (disordered muscle tone) and chorea (involuntary, rapid, jerky movements). Age of onset is typically in the 40s and 50s, although it can occur at any time in childhood or adolescence. There is no cure for Fahr’s syndrome; nor is there a standard course of Western medical treatment. Western medical treatment is given to pallitate symptoms on an individual basis. The prognosis for any individual with Fahr’s syndrome is variable and hard to predict. There is no reliable correlation between age, extent of calcium deposits in the brain, and neurological deficit. Since the appearance of calcification is age-dependent, a CT scan could be negative in a gene carrier who is younger than the age of 55.

On page 65 of issue #7, 2004 of the Shang Hai Zhong Yi Yao Za Zhi (Shanghai Journal of Chinese Medicine & Medicinals), Meng Qing-lin presents a single case of Fahr’s syndrome treated with acupuncture under the title, "One Case of Fahr Syndrome Treatment by Acupuncture-moxibustion." This case history is presented below.

The patient was a nine year-old little boy who was first seen on Apr. 28, 2002 due to frequent, repeated twitching of the sinews and loss of consciousness. This twitching had begun seven months before and the child had been seen by many doctors. Finally, at a local pediatric hospital, the child had been diagnosed with Fahr’s syndrome. He was treated with Western medicine but without effect. Therefore, he was referred to Dr. Meng. At that point in time, the boy would have attacks of twitching and and syncope several times per day. At other times he was normal. His body temperature was 36.8 degree Centigrade (normal). His affect was relatively poor. Heart and lung sounds were negative, and there was no enlargement of his liver or spleen. There were no other abnormalities.

If acupuncture occurred at the time of an attack, Dr. Meng needled Bai Hui (GV 20), Ren Zhong (GV 26), Hou Xi (SI 3), and Yong Quan (Ki 1), all with draining technique. At other times, he needled Gui Wei (GV 1), Da Zhui (GV 14), Nao Hu (GV 17), Jian Shi (Per 5), and Feng Long (St 40), all also with draining technique. Dr. Meng performed one acupuncture treatment per day. After 12 treatments, there were no more attacks of twitching sinews. Thereafter, Dr. Meng needled once every other day and continued this for one year. On follow-up after two years, there had only been one slight attack of twitching. Otherwise the child had been normal.

Discussion:

According to Dr. Meng, Fahr’s syndrome corresponds to epilepsy in Chinese medicine. It is mostly due to former heaven natural endowment. Attacks are mostly precipitated by spleen-stomach dampness accumulating to produce phlegm or emotional stimulation with liver depression not soothed. This leads to loss of regulation of the two viscera of the liver and spleen which results in yang upbearing and wind stirring. Thus phlegm and qi ascend to block and obstruct the network vessels and orifices. Based on these disease mechanisms, Dr. Meng feels that the treatment principles should be to arouse the brain and extinguish wind, pick away phlegm and open the orifices.