1. < Neuropathy
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Has anyone tried acupuncture and if so how many treatments?

Posted by gnocchi @gnocchi, May 26 11:43am

I was just wondering if anyone has tried acupuncture for their idiopathic neuropathy? I was diagnosed last November. I read where anxiety makes it worse but am not a diabetic so am seeing a acupuncturist and take supplements like alpha lipoic acid, complex B vitamins, and other supplements too. Some days are ok - seems like when low pressure hits it affects my pins and needles but anyway just wondering if anyone has found acupuncture helpful and if so do you keep going like once a month or more - am sure it will not cure it but maybe for maintenance twice a month or whatever just curious. I will not take gabapentin or Lyrica - tried Lyrica at the lowest dosage and made me so tired I couldn't walk to the car. Anyway, will await hearing from someone. Thank you.

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aurorasinmt2 | @aurorasinmt2 | Jun 3 11:13am

I don't know yet if it's temporary relief or long term. It depends on how you define "long term."
My marker will be a year out since my last chemo treatment.

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eloise999 | @eloise999 | Jun 3 11:34am

I still have the numbness, but it lessens it and reduces my back pain I get a treatment once a month. So I guess it is temporary help, but it helps me a lot.

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arcuri24 | @arcuri24 | Jun 4 7:46am
In reply to @eloise999 "I have PN and find acupuncture very helpful. It comes back, but the treatment gives real..." + (show)
Profile picture for eloise999 @eloise999

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.

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@eloise999

I am going to try acupuncture at the end of June to help me deal with pain caused by shin shave biopsy. My neuropathy and celiac disease have complicated my healing from that procedure and it has been 21 weeks now but my neurologist claims that this is not a long time in the healing process. It seems from reading this site that folks with chemo related neuropathy do well with acupuncture. I tried it last year for some back pain but had soreness as side effect which lasted for over a week. I am a bit hesitant to try acupuncture again but there are so few remedies available for micro-level nerve pains so I will try it again. My neurologist prescribed lidocaine for pain relief so I will also try that and he is okay with acupuncture. I was doing physical therapy but the massage and red light therapy that I get there seems to exacerbate rather than calm the pain. So I will do my own exercises here at home.

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eloise999 | @eloise999 | Jun 4 9:27am

Boy, it can be hard to find solutions for neuropathy and pain. I am sorry so many things are not working. There was an interesting article in the New York Times recently about the anatomical space between blood, tissues and lymph. It gives some justification for Chi and acupuncture. If I can download a link I will.

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