Modern techniques of Coordinated Reset Stimulation (CRS), which is usually administered with invasive deep brain stimulation, can have a miraculous effect on those suffering from Parkinson’s disease. However, the CRS technique can also apparently be administered via so-called vibrotactile CRS (vCRS) which essentially means vibrating certain nerve endings corresponding to brain regions that have a large cortical representation
A LOW BUDGET DIY VIBROTACTILE STIMULATOR ... - Cure Parkinson's
A LOW BUDGET DIY VIBROTACTILE STIMULATOR FOR EXPERIMENTAL CRS
PNST to help with Parkinson's symptoms
Dr. Nagata was trained as a neurosurgeon and indeed worked as one for many years before he came to a turning point in his life. He wanted to learn a different type of intervention for his patients, one that included home-based treatments they could do on their own to augment the treatments they received from him. He was tired of the rather limited results he was seeing with the interventions available to him.
He started with the Fukuda nail massage idea. He asked one of his Parkinson’s disease patients to squeeze his fingernails every day. To his surprise the patient came back in a week reporting significant symptom improvement. This encouraged Dr. Nagata to pursue this therapy further. Over time, instead of using finger pressure on the nails, he had patients use a slightly pointed tool, a bit like a metal toothpick, to stimulate the jing-well, points of the hand. Some patients at home indeed did use toothpicks for this home therapy. He eventually came to add some points on the face and on the top of the head to his basic protocol. These areas were to be stimulated every day at home in a simple procedure that takes only a few minutes, i.e., patient compliance is rather good in his clinic. The treatments Dr. Nagata himself gives in his clinic bring in more sophistication. He uses a dermatome concept to determine where to stimulate on the body in addition to the hands, face, and head.
Dr. Nagata refers to his technique as PNST. This stands for Prickling Neuro-Stimulation Technique. He uses the word prickling (chiku-chiku in Japanese) to convey that there should be a slight ouch response to this pressure on the various points. His reasoning in this, as opposed to the exceedingly light touch of a teishin in most techniques, is based in his profound understanding of the autonomic nervous system. For the response he desires the light touch does not suffice.