Has anyone tried acupuncture and if so how many treatments?

I have osteoarthritis and idiopathic neuropathy, and asked my doctor the same thing, would acupuncture give me any relief? He told me that at best it would be temporary, and our insurance won't cover it.

I have PN and find acupuncture very helpful. It comes back, but the treatment gives real relief. I go once a month or more if I have other pain, like my back, etc. my insurance covers 12 visits. So I pay out of pocket for some.

MY RETIRED DOCTOR FRIEND HAS USED ELECTRICAL ACUPUNCTURE (EA) TO CURE (?) CHEMO INDUCED NEUROPATHY, CIPN. I JUST WENT FROM TWICE A WEEK FOR 2 WEEKS TO ONCE A WEEK. AFTER 5 TREATMENTS, THE FINGER NUMBNESS HAS GONE AWAY AND I CAN PICK UP A PENNY AND BUTTON MY SHIRT. NOW SHE FOCUSES ON MY FEET. I AM HOPEFUL THIS WILL RESTORE MY BALANCE. ANY COMMENTS ARE APPRECIATED

I have been diagnosed with Autonomic Neuropathy- being tested in the fall. It is a result of structural spine issues. I go to acupuncture 2x/month. My provider is licensed in Chinese Medicine. It has been a game changer for me. It is not covered by insurance. I have been going for 8 months and have had multiple health benefits. I no longer have extremely painful nerve pain in my upper thighs. I can walk a mile on a dirt road. I am not on any medication- i think there are too many long-term negative side effects. I have lost 17lbs and have had a lot of hair growth and I just feel better. Feeling better helps me to manage the ups and downs. In addition, because of her training I get nutritional counseling that includes diet and supplements and herbal remedies. The traditional western medicine and the interventions provided were failures- drugs, nerve blocks and epidurals. This is a very individual journey since everyone will respond differently. In addition to the acupuncture, I use a Smooth Spine wanna -be device 2x day. I hope this helps....i feel I am relatively stable. BTW I am 75.

Yes. When I thought It was IPN. Acupuncture probably 6 or 7 sessions it didn't help at all. I applaud you for staying off gabapentin, that's nasty stuff. Have you seen a podiatrist to check for Morton's Neuroma(s)? I thought I had IPN, however, all of my EMGS including nerve biopsies came back normal in year 6-7 of burning, buzzing, and tingling symptoms. When MN goes undiagnosed hence untreated, they can cause whole nerve connections in your feet and legs to go crazy. It's worth looking into. I really hate the term "idiopathic ", that's a 'I give up, you don't fit in my little diagnostic box' term. Everything has a cause and a fix, the 'idiots' just aren't willing to dig in further.

@slspencer
thank you - in my case though my acupuncturist says anxiety caused this and I believe it as my husband was causing me a lot of anxiety when I got this with his bad language and change in his personality and I had to go to ER several times for very hbp - never told them why - he was 86 and have forgiven him now. When my neuropathy was at its worst my daughter said take a tranquilizer - that got rid of it as a reminder I need to relax. Anyway, I work out 5 days a week 30 plus minutes on different machines and try not to take any calming meds but something I have to work on. It's getting better but I am faithful in taking supplements the acupuncture recommended all medical grade as she knows the scientists and chemists who made these - alpha lipoic acid and B complex - your body pees out the amount it doesn't need of B-12 we lose as we age as I am 82. Anyway another one for the elderly can't think of the name. I think acupuncture isn't a permanent fix - and thinking about when do I quit her and try now I am alone to have calmer days. I try and remember the good times we had and forgive him for all the bad words he said to me as I don't think he realized how much his personality changed - he died at 86. He hated his age and wouldn't dress up at all - he could have had physical therapy for his balance and better shoes. He always said I am old enough. I realized I cannot control him nor anyone else in my life. I just kept reciting the serenity prayer and it's a good one. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference. I think that applies to all problems in life. God is in control and he knows us very well. Thank you for responding.

@alperk I also went for chemo-induced neuropathy and it helped with the pain (I used to have "wake me up at night pain"). I started with 2-3 times a week and then reduced slowly. I stopped after probably 7-10 months and now I don't go at all. No more pain, just numbness (which I also had before)

Yes, I'm using acupuncture to treat my neuropathy (as a side effect from chemo treatments). Acupuncture doesn't work for everybody but it's worth a try. It's up to your licensed acupucturist to determine the frequency of your treatments. Know that Medicare generally won't cover any of the cost so it will be out of pocket or if you have a Health Saving Account you can draw from. Good luck.

@aurorasinmt2 I have a Medicare advantage plan. It covers 12 sessions. Used to cover 20.

@eloise999 How much has it helped - is it temporary relief or long term?