Acupuncture for Neuropathy in Orange County

Empowered You Acupuncture is an integrative clinic in Orange County, California specializing in natural medical solutions for neuropathy, nerve damage, and neuropathic pain.

This article was written by Dr. Joshua Park, DSOM, L.Ac for the Neuropathy Action Foundation (NAF), a Santa Ana based nonprofit dedicated to providing neuropathy patients with the information they need to improve their quality of life. It was featured in the February 2024 edition of the NAF Patient Voice Newsletter.

With a long track record of safety and effectiveness, acupuncture is becoming the pain relief method of choice in America and around the world, especially when the pain has become chronic.

Acupuncture has been practiced for thousands of years in East Asia, and in addition to these millennia of tradition, it now has decades of modern scientific research backing its use in the treatment of neuropathy.

Treatment with acupuncture consists of stimulating nerve rich areas of the skin with fine, sterile needles.

This has the effect of activating a systemic healing response within the body, releasing pain-killing neurotransmitters, reducing inflammation, improving blood flow to the peripheral nerves, and stimulating growth of new nerve tissue.

By stopping pain, reducing inflammation, improving blood flow, and helping damaged nerves heal, acupuncture can be an effective solution to the numbness, tingling, and pain that accompany neuropathy.

There is a large and growing body of evidence demonstrating the successful application of acupuncture in the treatment of many kinds of neuropathy. For example:

• A systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 randomized controlled trials published in 2017 found that acupuncture significantly reduces pain and improves sensory function in most forms of neuropathic pain, including diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

• A study published in 2022 in the Journal of Phytomedicine found that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for chemotherapy induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN). The study involved 60 participants with CIPN, who were randomly assigned to either an acupuncture group or a waiting list control group. The researchers found that the acupuncture group had significant improvements in nerve conduction velocity, sensory nerve function, and overall quality of life compared to the control group.,

• A 2023 randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that acupuncture led to a significant and lasting reduction in diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain, and major improvements in patient quality of life.

In East Asia, acupuncture’s effectiveness in treating neuropathy is further enhanced by combining it with botanical medicine.

In 2016, a study published in the journal Neural Regeneration Research showed that a combination of five botanicals was able to greatly reduce diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain and improve nerve conduction velocity. This combination of botanicals has been used for over two thousand years to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy in China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam.

Like any medical intervention, acupuncture and botanical medicine may not work for everyone, but if you are still experiencing symptoms even with medication, the latest research suggests you should consider adding a licensed acupuncturist to your healthcare team.

References

Dimitrova, A., Murchison, C., & Oken, B. (2017). Acupuncture for the Treatment of Peripheral Neuropathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 23(3), 164–179. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2016.0155

Friedemann, T., Kark, E., Cao, N., Klaßen, M., Meyer-Hamme, G., Greten, J. H., Rostock, M., Buhlmann, E., Zhao, A., & Schröder, S. (2022). Acupuncture improves chemotherapy-induced neuropathy explored by neurophysiological and clinical outcomes - The randomized, controlled, cross-over ACUCIN trial. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology, 104, 154294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154294

Dietzel, J., Habermann, I. V., Hörder, S., Hahn, K., Meyer-Hamme, G., Ortiz, M., Hua, K., Stöckigt, B., Bolster, M., Grabowska, W., Roll, S., Binting, S., Willich, S. N., Schröder, S., & Brinkhaus, B. (2023). Acupuncture in Patients with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy-Related Complaints: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Journal of clinical medicine, 12(6), 2103. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12062103

Pang, B., Zhao, T. Y., Zhao, L. H., Wan, F., Ye, R., Zhou, Q., Tian, F., & Tong, X. L. (2016). Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction for treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy: a meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled trials. Neural regeneration research, 11(8), 1347–1358. https://doi.org/10.4103/1673-5374.189202

Medical Disclaimer

 The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It should not be interpreted as medical advice or a substitute for individualized care from a qualified healthcare professional. Always consult your licensed practitioner before making any changes to your health regimen.

About the Author

Dr. Joshua Park, DSOM, L.Ac

Dr. Park is a licensed acupuncturist with a doctorate in East Asian Medicine, specializing in neuropathic pain and digestive problems. He is the clinical director of Empowered You Acupuncture in Orange County, California, and is an adjunct professor at Virginia University of Integrative Medicine. His clinical approach combines acupuncture, classical Chinese herbal formulas, and current research on neuroplasticity to help patients with peripheral neuropathy enjoy a greater quality of life.