Acupuncture for Neuropathy

I have consistently said that the treatment of neuropathy has to be a more holistic approach, in that one must seek to address and ease the symptoms on multiple levels. With more than a hundred types of neuropathy, we must also realize that our symptoms, pattern of development, and prognosis is also going to very widely from sufferer to sufferer. Over the last thirty years, western medicine's hypothetical deduction approach to medicine is still far from it's eastern counterpart of inductive method. However western medicine has progressed to the more eastern 360 degree thinking when it comes to the balanced body. Therefore, many of our leading western medical establishments will now encourage patients to seek acupuncture as remedy to pain when the western methods do not provide enough relief.

What is Cutaneous Acupuncture

Cutaneous Acupuncture is the use of acupuncture needles to stimulate an area superficially by tapping to promote the smooth flow of Chi or Qi (energy pronounced “chee") and blood which is believed to flow through your body through pathways (meridians). By inserting needles into specific points along these meridians, acupuncture practitioners believe that your energy flow will re-balance. The needles used in acupuncture are hair-thin needles that many will not even feel upon insertion. You can fit close to 10 acupuncture needles inside tip of 1 hypodermic needle. You may feel a heaviness, numbness, tingling, or mild soreness after the needles have been inserted. A feeling of deep heaviness or numbness, called “Deqi” (pronounced “duh chee”) means the treatment is working. The patient tells the acupuncturist “yes” when he or she feels this.

Several studies have been completed to suggest that cutaneous acupuncture can indeed be shown to reduce the chronic pain associated with peripheral neuropathy and standardized acupuncture protocols have even been developed.

There are many theories as to how acupuncture actually works. When acupuncture points are stimulated, it causes a dull ache or other sensations in the muscle. One theory holds that:

• The stimulated muscle and sensory neurons send a message to the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord);

• This causes the release of endorphins (naturally produced pain killers) and other neurotransmitters (body chemicals that modify nerve impulses);

• This, in turn, helps block the message of pain from being delivered to the brain (and has other regulatory effects as well).

Other experts believe that acupuncture works by transmitting signals via the fascia. Fascia is like a thin sheath that surrounds all of the body’s muscles. Some acupuncturists consider the meridians to represent myofascial chains, which helps explain why stimulating an acupuncture point in the lower leg can affect the back or other areas. Interestingly, research shows that acupuncture points have a lower electrical resistivity than surrounding areas. In a practical sense, the meridian system provides a navigable energetic map of the body for acupuncturists to locate and treat many conditions.

Acupuncture Treatment

The length, number and frequency of treatments will vary. Typical treatments last from five to 30 minutes, with the patient being treated one or two times a week. Some symptoms are relieved after the first treatment, while more severe or chronic ailments often require multiple treatments. Your experience with acupuncture will largely depend on your acupuncturist and herbalist you choose. You want to find the right acupuncturist for you. If you like and trust your practitioner, your encounter with acupuncture will be more positive. You will also want to know about the acupuncturists training and experience and what to expect from the acupuncture treatment. Decide in advance what your expectations are and discuss them with your acupuncturist. A chronic illness like nephropathy may need several months of acupuncture treatment to have a noticeable effect. If you are not happy with your progress, think about changing acupuncturists or check with your western doctor for advice about other options. The clearer you are about who it is that is treating you and exactly what the treatment entails, the more you will be able to relax during the acupuncture session and benefit from this ancient form of health care. After your condition is discussed, the acupuncturist will examine you for reactive areas to determine which points to use.

You should wear loose-fitting clothing (gowns are provided), as you will have to partially disrobe in order to receive acupuncture. Exercise good hygiene, but don’t come heavily perfumed, as many patients have chemical sensitivities.

Risks

The risks of acupuncture are low if you have a competent, certified acupuncture practitioner using sterile needles. Common side effects include soreness and minor bleeding or bruising where the needles were inserted. Single-use, disposable needles are now the practice standard, so the risk of infection is minimal. Not everyone is a good candidate for acupuncture. You may be at risk of complications if you:

• Have a bleeding disorder. Your chances of bleeding or bruising from the needles increase if you have a bleeding disorder or if you're taking blood thinners.

• Have a pacemaker. Acupuncture that involves applying mild electrical pulses to the needles can interfere with a pacemaker's operation.

• Are pregnant. Some types of acupuncture are thought to stimulate labor, which could result in a premature delivery.

Choosing a Practitioner

If you're considering acupuncture, take the same steps you would to choose a doctor:

• Ask people you trust for recommendations.

• Check the practitioner's training and credentials. Most states require that nonphysician acupuncturists pass an exam conducted by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

• Interview the practitioner. Ask what's involved in the treatment, how likely it is to help your condition and how much it will cost.

• Find out whether your insurance covers the treatment.

• The national average cost for treatment is $75 per session, the minimum found was $40.
  

Tell your doctor you're considering acupuncture. He or she may be able to tell you about the success rate of using acupuncture for your condition or recommend an acupuncture practitioner.