Acupuncture treatment has been found to be effective for neuropathy in many studies. Some of the causes of neuropathy studied are diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy induced neuropathy, as well as optic neuropathy.
Acupuncture provided dramatic improvement in diabetic neuropathy. Patients with medication alone saw only an 8% improvement in their neuropathy. After adding acupuncture to the treatment regimen, over 90% reported improvement. The neuropathy disability score also improved when acupuncture was added to the treatment regimen. The medication only group had a 37.45% success rate. The acupuncture neuropathy disability success rate jumped to over 90% after it was added. 1
A neurological examination followed by nerve conduction studies was quantified using the Michigan Diabetic Neuropathy Score (MDNS). The medication only faction scored no improvements in diabetic neuropathy according to these measurements thereby yielding a 0% success rate. The group receiving both acupuncture and medication, however, had over a 95% effective rate.
A new acupuncture study may set a new standard of care for how cancer patients are treated for chemotherapy induced neuropathy. A clinical trial in the UK found that 68% of patients saw improvement in neuropathy symptoms with acupuncture treatment.
Prof Wardley, consultant medical oncologist at The Christie, said he hoped the trial would “lead to a new standard of care for treating this condition, improving the lives of millions of patients”. The three-year study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research and the Manchester hospital’s charity. Researchers enrolled 120 patients, half of whom were offered weekly hour-long acupuncture sessions over a 10-week period. 2
Optic neuropathy can be caused by many factors such as injury, ischemia and autoimmune disease. One study showed that acupuncture improved visual acuity and light sensitivity while reducing defects of the visual field for patients with nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). NAION is a common form of neuropathy in those over 50 years of age, especially in those with hypertension and diabetes. Research was conducted by the Department of Ophthalmology at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital and from the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. The total effective rate for visual acuity improvement after 81.71% after 8 weeks of treatment. Mean light sensitivity improved from 17.47 dB prior to acupuncture to 20.34 dB after acupuncture treatment. Mean defect improved from 9.39 dB prior to acupuncture to 6.30 dB after acupuncture treatment. The average latency of the P100 wave also improved with acupuncture treatment.
We have treated many patients for neuropathy at Healthpointe Acupuncture & Wellness, almost all have seen improvement in their symtpoms. Please schedule your free consultation. The only thing you have to lose is your pain!
- Tanakornnuwat, Suwat, et al. “The Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy.” Journal of Thai Traditional & Alternative Medicine 10.3 (2013): 177-186.
- http://oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/139/main-news/132115/christie-research-shows-acupuncture-helps-chemo-patients
- Qin, Yali, Wei Yuan, Hui Deng, Zhanmei Xiang, Chao Yang, Xinyun Kou, Shufei Yang, Zhijun Wang, and Ming Jin. “Clinical efficacy observation of acupuncture treatment for nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.”
