Anyone tried Dry Needling or Acupuncture for Pain or Neuropathy?

I had several sessions of dry needling for severe neuropathy. It did nothing for my pain. Others may fare better.

hello, nine months ago when my peripheral neuropathy in my feet was getting worse I had acupuncture treatment two times each week for 2 1/2 months. It took about five or six visits before I started feeling improvement. By the end of the sessions my feet were much better, very little pain and tingling etc. Since my sessions have ended my feet and lower legs have gotten much worse and now I'm looking for other methods to control the neuropathy because I don't have Accupuncture available to me anymore. I use capsacian cream, lidocaine, CBD gummys, and occasionally when the pain gets intolerable Tylenol and codeine. I am new to the blog of conversations and I'm very excited to find a way to communicate with folks with the same problem that I have.

hello again, my Acupuncturist was a specialist in peripheral neuropathy and she stated that it takes a few sessions For the Accupuncture to have any effect. That was true. It's not cheap and Medicare won't pay for it but for the time I took it it was very much worth it because the pain and sensations were is gone by the end of 2 1/2 months.

Hi Lauren @laurenstedman, Wow! I see that you have been a member since 2012 and this is your first post so I would like to officially welcome you to Connect. I found Connect in 2016 and was also excited to know there were other members with the same problem I have.

If you haven't already checked out the search function of Connect at the top of any page, give it a try. There have been some major improvements to the search in the past year or so. Kudos to the tech team.

The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy has lots of great information you might find helpful if you haven't already seen it - https://www.foundationforpn.org/living-well/.

Do you mind sharing a little more about your neuropathy diagnosis?

John,
How wierd, I don't remember being a member, but 2012 was almost 12 years ago!
I am a long way, 4 to 5 hours, from a neurologist. I found one and I am scheduled for an EEG and a EMG which I understand is supposed to diagnose the origin or reason for my neuropathy. I I have been a letterpress and offset printer for 25 years, and refurbished and built a couple of houses which has exposed me to many toxins. I believe that is the source of my peripheral neuropathy. So far doctors I have seen, including a neurologist, are reluctant to except that reason. I am desperate for information on how to rest and deal with the pain and progress of my neuropathy.
I will definitely look up foundation for peripheral neuropathy. Thanks for that!

So far this blog is on my phone and I would like for it to be on my computer. Any ideas how to do that?

figured it out 😜

I’ve had 8 lumbar surgeries. Before two of them I tried acupuncture treatment it helped relieve the pain a great deal. I was able to walk and stand without extreme discomfort.
I have now have two herniated discs and have done acupuncture 6 times it has really helped. I am at about a 3 on the pain scale. Went from two times a week to once a week. Next week I go once and then don’t need to go back for a month. My insurance covers it and I have already met my out of pocket for the year so for me it was an easy decision to try it.

I want to know the answer to this also because I stopped the acupuncture after a few treatments that made my legs burn more-if that is just the process and eventually the neuropathy is improved, I can live through anything!

I have SFN, but also another related condition that causes painful knots in my muscles. Eight years ago, my original diagnosis was fibromyalgia. We now know I have idiopathic length-dependent small fiber polyneuropathy. The knotted muscles, plus the pattern of my worst pain don’t really fit the fibromyalgia diagnosis, so I’m undergoing some more lab work and rheumatologist appointments right now. Anyway, as far as dry needling goes, it works wonderfully for me. For the past year, my PT has done dry needling every 10-14 days. I tell her where the worst knots are. Original my gluteal muscles (butt) were so tight, huge knotted muscles. That is mostly resolved through persistent treatment. But I always have knots along my outer thighs, from hip to knee. The worse they are, the more painful the needling. Sometimes they are so tight that as they spasm, it will bend the needle. Yes, it hurts, and is sometimes sore for a few days, but I get blessed relief for a while. And the muscles are loosened up, which decreases the tension on my hips and lower back.
Then it all comes back and we do it all again! It’s a chronic illness.