Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Holistic Approach to Neuropathic Pain

Do you suffer from Neuropathy? You are not alone. Peripheral Neuropathy affects at least 20 million Americans. Peripheral refers to the nerves that are not in the brain or spinal cord. There are more than 100 types of Neuropathy, so diagnosing can be difficult due to a lack of testing devices. Symptoms and severity range, but no matter what, it's a pain (literally!). Neuropathy is a condition that affects the nerves causing pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in one or more parts of the body. Neuropathy is a result of nerve damage caused by diabetes, injury, infection, or exposure to toxins.

Neuropathy can also…

• Affect your coordination

• Make you feel full faster when eating

• Affect bowel function (diarrhea or constipation)

• Affect bladder function

• Inhibit sexual response (erectile dysfunction)

• Cause abnormal sweating

• Make you feel lightheaded

• Cause a loss of movement or function

• Inhibit balance

• Cause a burning sensation

From the view of Chinese Medicine, Neuropathy is a symptom of blood and Qi stagnation. In TCM, Blood (Xue) is the vital substance that nourishes and moistens all of the cells in the body. It is also used to transport Qi throughout the body. When qi and blood cannot reach each cell in the body, symptoms arise. There are many things that can cause this stagnation or deficiency of these vital resources in the body.

Causes of Neuropathy:

• Diabetes

• Thyroid problems

• Long-term alcohol abuse

• Vitamin deficiencies

• Some medicines and chemicals

• Pressure on a nerve

• Tumors or cancers

• Chemotherapy or radiotherapy

• Guillain-Barre syndrome

• Certain infections, including HIV infection and AIDS

• Genetic conditions, such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

• Problems with your immune system or blood vessels

• Poor posture

• Repetitive strain

• Long-term emotional stress

Treatments for Neuropathy:

1. Acupuncture: Acupuncture therapy is used to restore the free flow of qi and blood.

2. Cupping: Improves blood flow and draws out stagnation. The bruises that you see as a result of cupping are a result of the old blood being drawn to the surface, which allows the new blood to flow through previously restricted or stagnant areas.

3. Herbal Medicine: Customized based on the patient’s specific type of neuropathy, herbal medicine can nourish the blood and improve energy flow.

Traditional Chinese Medicine addresses neuropathy by targeting the root cause for lasting relief. If you are looking to improve your quality of life and decrease neuropathy symptoms, book a consultation today.