Acupuncture for peripheral neuropathy

The most common symptoms felt by my peripheral neuropathy clients include burning sensations, pins and needles, and numbness. The symptoms alone however are usually not what prompts sufferers to come to me for treatment. They’re typically more concerned about the impact neuropathy has on their quality of life, including:

• Difficulty sleeping due to pain and restlessness
• Fear of losing balance or falling
• Reduced confidence while driving (inability to feel the pedals)
• Wanting to dance again​

How does Chinese medicine approach peripheral neuropathy if most conventional medicine practitioners believe that nothing can be done? The answer lies in blood flow. Chinese medicine believes your body is designed to regulate and repair itself and this ability is maintained by your blood flow. Blood contains all the nutrients vital to your existence, including oxygen, water, platelets, hormones, etc. If nutrients are not delivered to every cell in your body, the cells lacking nutrition will eventually shrivel up and die – this is what’s happened in the areas affected by peripheral neuropathy: poor circulation, compounded by inflammation, has starved the nerves of nourishment.
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Fortunately small fibre nerves can often regenerate with proper nourishment and blood flow. Using acupuncture I stimulate blood flow and guide it to the specific areas of your body needing nourishment, feeding the nerves so they can begin to repair. As the nerves begin to regenerate, symptoms and quality of life improve. 
My clients are often surprised (and grateful!) when I don’t place acupuncture needles at the site of pain. Much like how a switch on the wall is able to turn on a light bulb on the ceiling, acupuncture points located in one area of the body are able to affect another area via the body's internal wiring. Depending on the condition, better results are often achieved when needles are placed away from the affected area, whilst also avoiding aggravation to already sore spots.