Has anyone tried acupuncture for neuropathy foot pain??

Posted by lmt4 @lmt4, Feb 14 1:19pm

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proteusx | @proteusx | Feb 17 5:38pm

In reply to @lmt4 "Thanks so much, but can one find this type of treatment??" + (show)

Looking into this in more detail the last couple days, I throw out these caveats, while acknowledging that magnetic therapy has shown, in various experimental and some very small clinical trials, efficacy in ameliorating various neurological harms: 1) The testing on this that preceded FDA clearance for marketing consisted of very small and industry paid for studies, though there are independent studies showing the usefulness of magnetic energy in related contexts. 2) The FDA 510K clearance for marketing of this is in no way equivalent to FDA approval of a new drug, for example, and has requirements for medical devices that are far below those required for drugs. 3) I can't information on where this is available; I presume it may be available in San Diego where the company is headquartered. Go to the NeuraLaceMedical.com site for more information. It appears that the annual cost for this therapy is a bit over $6,000 which appears to include a regimen of weekly and bi-weekly treatments followed by monthly treatments. If anyone gets more information on this I would appreciate hearing about it. Each treatment is said to last about 14 minutes.

saliannadana | @saliannadana | Feb 17 8:12pm

In reply to @samcal9977zz "Note: Acupuncture is recognized by the US NIH, as having proven medical benefits. I get acupuncture...." + (show)

@samcal9977zz

Note: Acupuncture is recognized by the US NIH, as having proven medical benefits.

I get acupuncture. I have injuries from car accidents. Acupuncture (with electric stim) is the only thing that gets my back out of pain (L4 an L5 and now others also).

It is also useful for other things.

That being said, it seems to help for awhile. Maybe powerfully for a couple of days and then somewhat over the course of a month. But without any, I would be a total wreck.

I have sciatica and neuropathy. Frankly, I am not always sure which is which.

I have not directed my acupuncturist to treat that, but, I think some of the general acupuncture may help.

What absolutely helps me is compression.

I have done compression socks. But I go farther. I have an anklet, which is much stronger than a regular compression sock.

I have a wrap for my knees, for my arms and for my hands also.

When I do all of them, I do get profound relief from pain.

I do a lot of other things as well...meditation, Hatha Yoga. So other things may be helping.

I would encourage you to try some natural remedies...and note that some may help only a bit. But if you find a few things, that each help a bit, cumulatively, you may get some real symptom reduction.

I also do magnetic therapy. There is supposed to be a strong relationship between magnetic therapy and neuropathy. So, that may be one of the therapies that is helping reduce the neuropathy pain.

With the magnets, I don't use the little ones. I use the most powerful kind. I am not sure how that would interact with you, but you could ask a doctor if he thinks it is ok to try.

Note: with the most powerful magnets, you do have to keep all phones and computers away from them...as the magnetism at that level will destroy those devices.

I am not always consistent in how much therapy I do. Generally, I think when I do get the neuropathy pains, it does tend to be when I haven't been doing the therapies as much.

All that being said, I don't think that neuropathy easily responds to treatments. I do many, many, many things. I assume some of the things in that mix, in coordination with each other, are what is managing the neuropathy pain.

Also note that acupuncturists vary. The most skilled ones are tons better than just any old acupuncturist. So, see if you can find someone who has been doing it forever and has a great reputation.

best of luck...

Jump to this post

Medication has been suggested by my Dr but no thanks. It's worst at night. I find when I'm on my feet more during the day, pain lessens at night. Go figure. Most Drs and laypeople tell me there's really not much that helps. I've purchased an inexpensive flat pad (batt op) stimulator--gives electric impulses, zaps. Not painful but it feels better after I use it and I'm hoping it will stimulate blood flow in my feet and legs.

lmt4 | @lmt4 | Feb 18 6:23am

In reply to @saliannadana "Medication has been suggested by my Dr but no thanks. It's worst at night. I find..." + (show)

Interesting. My doc said I should walk more, even though it hurts.

samcal9977zz | @samcal9977zz | Feb 18 4:39pm

In reply to @saliannadana "Medication has been suggested by my Dr but no thanks. It's worst at night. I find..." + (show)

very very sorry about the difficulties.

Years ago...well, literally 40 years ago, I was working in a warehouse, as a shipping clerk, standing on a concrete floor 8 straight hours. My feet were killing me. At the time I was a jogger and I had a nice pair of professional running shoes...with closed cell foam. So, I just started wearing them at work.

So, so, so much easier on my feet.

So, I wonder if some better kind of more professional footware might help some? I guess you have already tried....

I know that Hatha Yoga has inverted positions. They are supposed to help the circulation. An inverted position is a headstand or a shoulder stand. But I imagine, just elevating the legs, probably, particularly over the heart...you know, with a bunch of pillows or maybe even a box topped with a pillow...

Maybe those kind of exercises would increase circulation a bit?

The idea being that the vessels carrying blood to the feet are work with gravity. And if you force them to work against gravity, it strengthens them.

Generally, might be worth looking into what massage therapy, Hatha Yoga, Tai-Chi, and these kinds of natural therapies do re neuropathy. I mean, if they are just talking about stretches and positions and such, can't hurt, right? Seems worth looking into.

Here's an article from Dr. Andrew Weil. He is an Integrative Medicine MD. Means they are MDs, but they also explore natural treatments sometimes:
https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/diabetes/neuropathy-symptoms-and-treatment/
take care.

lmt4 | @lmt4 | Feb 18 5:36pm

In reply to @samcal9977zz "very very sorry about the difficulties. Years ago...well, literally 40 years ago, I was working in..." + (show)

Thank you! I’m all about the cushiest shoes I can find- mostly running shoes. It seems to help a little…

proteusx | @proteusx | Feb 18 6:05pm

I found some further information on the NeuraLaceMedical Axonal (magnetic) treatment. Apparently they were conducting further trials all of 2023. And I found at least one reputable center that is currently using it with claimed good benefit for peripheral neuropathy pain. (I would like to see some additional evidence that it can also help with the underlying causes of the PN, though non-opiod pain relief of any kind that really works is of course welcome.) Here is an excerpt from a recent news release:

VA Augusta Health Care System is the first VA in the country to use Axon Therapy, which uses a high-powered, non-invasive device to target peripheral nerve stimulation to reduce chronic pain in Veterans.

Dr. Marshall Bedder, VA Augusta’s Chief of Pain Management, championed the research and coined the term mPNS to refer to magnetic peripheral nerve stimulation. He presented the results of his use of Axon Therapy at the January 2023 North American Neuromodulation Society annual, demonstrating how it led to both pain reduction and decreased opioid use among Veteran patients.

“Some of our Veterans have only needed to be treated a couple times and have seen such durable results, they haven’t needed to come back in for further treatment,” said Dr. Marshall Bedder, a Navy combat Veteran with more than 30 years of pain medicine management.

Bedder, who also serves as an associate professor and Director of the Addiction Medicine Fellowship program at Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, said Axon Therapy delivers strong magnetic, low-frequency pulsed stimulation to affected nerves leading to chronic pain. It’s non-invasive, painless, and more powerful than electrical stimulation.

The device is 10,000 times stronger than any wearable magnetic device on the market today. Axon Therapy has a strength of up to 1.3 Tesla (the unit of measurement for the magnetic flux density). In comparison, overall MRI field strength is in the region of 1.5-4 Tesla, so Axon therapy delivers a significant magnetic field and does so in a brief 13.5-minute treatment sessions with no notable side effects.

“When you have chronic pain, pain messages are being sent to your brain every minute,” said Bedder. “Over time, it changes the synaptic makeup. When the Axon magnetic waveform comes in, evidence shows it reverses some of those negative synaptic connections that were formed from pain.”

Since May 2022, Bedder and his team have provided Axon Therapy to Veterans at Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia, and it’s proven to dramatically reduce neuropathic-related pain over long periods of time. In January 2023, VA Augusta Health Care System signed a contract with NeuraLace Medical totaling $1.5 million over five years to treat Veterans with this innovative, non-invasive solution.

saliannadana | @saliannadana | Feb 18 7:29pm

In reply to @samcal9977zz "very very sorry about the difficulties. Years ago...well, literally 40 years ago, I was working in..." + (show)

Thanks so much for your reply and ideas!! I doubt I'll be doing handstands, but I've even looked into an inversion table that I can tilt in order to relieve back issues as well as circulation. As you said, anything that elevates will help. Thanks so much...

saliannadana | @saliannadana | Feb 18 7:31pm

In reply to @lmt4 "Interesting. My doc said I should walk more, even though it hurts." + (show)

Well, that does make sense, but if it hurts maybe try a cycle at a gym to start. It will get your legs moving and improve circulation, and strengthen so walking may be a bit easier?

samcal9977zz | @samcal9977zz | Feb 18 8:28pm

In reply to @saliannadana "Thanks so much for your reply and ideas!! I doubt I'll be doing handstands, but I've..." + (show)

Hi. My chiropractor specifically warned me to never use an inversion table.

Now, I am 62, I have all kinds of injuries from car accidents.

So, his warning may not apply to you.

I don't remember exactly what he said. I just remember asking him whether it was a good idea and what he said in response was enough for me to never consider it.

I think there was talk about "too much blood to the brain" or some such problem, you know...outside of my back and sacro-illiac injuries. Too forceful of a therapy, at least for me.

ok, did find an article.

From Dr. Andrew Weil, an Integrative Medicine MD...

Is Hanging Upside Down Good For The Back?
Do you have an opinion on the health benefits of using inversion tables?
https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/bone-joint/is-hanging-upside-down-good-for-the-back/
excerpt:

"Another study published in July (2019) found that inversion caused significant changes in intercranial pressure and blood flow, which the researchers wrote can increase the chance of complications when used in patients with a history of elevated intracranial pressure. For this reason, they recommended that inversion therapy should be used with caution. Increased intracranial pressure can damage the brain."