Real Help for Peripheral Neuropathy, Without the Sales Pressure

Written by Portland Healing Space

If you live with peripheral neuropathy, you know how much it can take from you. Burning feet at night, numb fingers, tingling that won't quit, and a loss of balance that makes every step feel uncertain.

Here is the good news: acupuncture is one of the best-studied natural options for peripheral neuropathy (PN), it is affordable, and your insurance may help pay for it.

What the research shows

A 2017 systematic review of randomized controlled trials found that acupuncture appears to improve nerve conduction in both sensory and motor nerves. The trials studied neuropathy from diabetes, HIV, carpal tunnel syndrome, and Bell's palsy. In the pooled data, people who received acupuncture had roughly four times the odds of symptom improvement compared with control groups.

A follow-up case series from Oregon Health and Science University, right here in Portland, applied a standardized acupuncture protocol to ten patients with neuropathy of various causes, including cases with no known cause. All ten reported less pain and better function, and several were able to reduce or stop their pain medications. That was a small study without a control group, but it is an encouraging sign for people who have been told there is nothing more to try.

My training in neuropathy protocols

I recently completed training in evidence-based acupuncture protocols for peripheral neuropathy through the Acupuncture Now Foundation (ANF), a volunteer-run nonprofit that educates the public, health professionals, and policymakers about acupuncture. ANF is also working to get Medicare to cover acupuncture for PN.

I am now listed in ANF's directory of acupuncturists trained to treat PN. You can see my listing here.

A whole-person approach

I have practiced in the healing arts for forty years as a Doctor of Chiropractic and a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. At Portland Healing Space, I pair the neuropathy protocol with care tailored to you.

Nerves don't exist in isolation. Circulation, muscles, joints, the spine, and your overall health all affect how nerves heal. So I look at the whole picture and bring in whatever helps: acupuncture, chiropractic care, and other gentle modalities, often combined in a single session.

Affordable care you can do at home

Healing doesn't only happen on the treatment table. I also offer inexpensive home self-care options, so you can keep supporting your nerves between visits. Together we choose simple practices that fit your condition, your constitution, and your daily life.

This keeps your costs down and puts more of your healing in your own hands.

A word of caution

Right now, many people with neuropathy are being targeted by high-pressure marketing: free dinner seminars, "limited time" offers, and programs that cost thousands of dollars up front, often with little or no insurance coverage.

Before you sign anything, ask a few questions:

  • What published research supports this exact treatment?

  • Will my insurance cover any of it?

  • Do I have to pay for a full package before I know whether it helps?

  • Am I being pushed to decide today?

Good care earns your trust over time. You should never feel rushed or cornered into paying for it.

Take the next step

If neuropathy is limiting your life, I would be glad to help you explore whether acupuncture is right for you.
Call Portland Healing Space at (503) 894-9437, or visit us at 1835 SE 50th Ave in Southeast Portland, and we can check your insurance benefits together.

Results vary from person to person, and acupuncture works best alongside care from your primary physician.

Sources

Portland Healing Space
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