Acupuncture Treats Peripheral Neuropathy

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Acupuncture Treats Peripheral Neuropathy

by: Sokulski, citizen journalist

http://www.naturalnews.com/026211.html

Neuropathy, or Peripheral Neuropathy, is defined as having numbness, tingling or

pain in nerves apart from the spine or brain, often in the hands and feet (1).

It is a fairly common symptom, occurring in people with spinal injuries,

diabetes, and genetic conditions such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth Syndrome (2,3).

Acupuncture can be an effective way to treat these symptoms, bringing energy,

life and feeling back into the extremities.

Neuropathy is a serious symptom, which often affects people`s quality of life.

When people don`t feel parts of their bodies, they are more prone to injury and

infection, as well as finding difficulty in daily tasks such as walking, fine

motor work, or gripping. People who have this symptom as part of a genetic

disorder also deal with the fears and hopes that go along with having a rare

medical disorder(4).

Acupuncture is a powerful tool not only to balance qi - or energy - in the body,

but to bring peace, hope and alignment into the mind, emotions and spirit as

well.

When there is numbness in the periphery, there is not enough qi reaching these

areas, according to traditional Chinese medicine. This can be for a variety of

reasons, but mainly either:

there is too little energy in that organ system/meridian (energy pathway)

something is blocking the energy from reaching the area.

Sometimes there will be a combination of the two, and often multiple organ

systems/meridians are involved. There are also different causes for the

condition. Each of these things is considered and addressed by the

acupuncturist, and a treatment plan which best suits the patient is mapped out.

In general, treatment would involve selecting points that promote circulation of

energy in the meridians. If heat or cold is the cause, treatment would include

either dissipating heat or warming coldness.(5)

Sometimes, weakness and flaccidity in the extremities is classified as wei

syndrome. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, this results from

malnourishment of the tendons due to depletion of body fluids, caused by " excess

heat " remaining in the body after illness.(6) Wei syndrome often requires longer

periods of treatment.

Acupuncture often brings immediate relief - especially when there is pain -

though it will likely take a series of treatments for the feeling and strength

to come back completely and for the body to stay in balance, providing lasting

effects. How often or how long treatment should proceed will be individual,

depending on the cause and the overall constitution and health of the patient.

As mentioned above, Wei syndrome can require a long course of treatment.

Acupuncture works by treating the person as a whole, balancing body, mind and

spirit and allowing the body to do what it needs to do to heal itself.

Acupuncture helps remove blocks, helps the body focus on increasing energy in

areas of deficiency, and helps the patient be more present and focused, but

ultimately it is our own bodies and energy that are able to heal.