Peripheral Neuropathy
In the US, roughly 15% of adults over 40 years of age and nearly 30% of diabetics have peripheral neuropathy (PN). With proper acupuncture treatment, around 80% of these patients will be helped with their PN symptoms. Will has over six years of experience treating peripheral neuropathy on a daily basis at St. Luke’s, and has seen much success in treating the condition.
Peripheral neuropathy has different causes, all of which can be treated by acupuncture. These include: diabetes, chemotherapy and HIV/AIDS. It can also be idiopathic - without a known cause. Other causes include alcohol use disorder, vitamin and nutrient deficiencies, autoimmune disorders, tumors, genetic conditions, infections, trauma and surgery.
Most of Will’s experience is in treating chemo-induced peripheral neuropathy, which can be the most difficult to treat. The good news is no matter what type of neuropathy you have, the treatment plan will be very similar.
​The frequency and regularity of treatment is crucial for success. There are two treatment paths:
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Two treatments a week for four weeks, followed by one treatment a week for four weeks. This is the ideal treatment path and will likely produce the greatest results.
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Once a week for ten weeks: this path is for those that have difficulty coming twice a week due to various reasons.
From there, we may schedule a tapering of sessions to ensure the treatment holds. Treating PN can take time, but many people notice some improvement in the first two to four weeks.
While acupuncture can help most people experiencing PN, it doesn’t work for everyone. The good thing is, acupuncture is a safe therapy with no known adverse effects. While most patients will experience improvement in their PN symptoms, they also often report improvements in other areas, including: better sleep, reduced stress, improved digestion, and increased energy.
