Acupuncture for Peripheral Neuropathy

What is Peripheral Neuropathy?

Peripheral neuropathy is a condition where nerves in the peripheral nervous system don’t function properly.  The peripheral nervous system is made up of nerves which connect the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) to the rest of the body.  When these peripheral nerves are damaged, you may experience symptoms like increased pain sensations, tingling, numbness, or loss of ability to feel change in temperature or pain.  

Peripheral neuropathy may affect different types of nerves, like the motor nerves, sensory nerves, and autonomic nerves.  You may experience different symptoms, depending on which nerves are affected.  This article will describe how acupuncture can help you treat peripheral neuropathy.

Acupuncture for Neuropathy

How Does Acupuncture Work?

Acupuncture is a technique used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.  In this technique, very thin needles are applied to specific pressure points on the body, so that healing can occur.  Acupuncture can be used to help heal many health problems, including conditions like peripheral neuropathy.  

In Chinese Medicine, disease is understood to be caused by imbalances in the flow of energy in the body.  This energy is called qi (pronounced “chee”).  For the body to be able to heal, the qi needs to be able to flow properly.  Acupuncture works by manipulating the qi through pressure points which are situated on the energy meridians in the body.  This allows the body to heal.

Acupuncture for Peripheral Neuropathy:

Different acupuncture techniques may be used to treat peripheral neuropathy, depending on the cause of your condition.  In Chinese Medicine, an imbalance of qi in the liver or gallbladder may cause nerve problems like neuropathy.  Acupuncture can then be used to rebalance these organs so that your symptoms may be healed.

Acupuncture is also very effective at treating pain.  When needles are applied to pressure points, they can stimulate the nervous system.  This can cause endorphins to be released, which can change your body’s response to pain.  Since acupuncture can also stimulate increased blood flow, this can also help to restore damaged nerves.

Many people find acupuncture effective for treating peripheral neuropathy.  A study from 2007 even found that more people experienced improved symptoms from acupuncture treatment than people who used Western Medicine treatments. For information about neuropathy and Chinese Medicine, click here.

You can also use other natural treatments to support your body’s healing process.  Exercise increases blood flow which may help to reduce neuropathy symptoms, and warm baths may also help.  It is also important to quit habits like smoking and drinking alcohol, which can make neuropathy worse.  

Acupuncture for Neuropathy

Risks of Acupuncture:

One of the benefits of acupuncture treatment is that it often presents very little risk of side effects.  There are often no side effects at all when acupuncture is performed by experienced, trained professionals.  

If you do experience side effects from acupuncture, they are likely to be very minor. These could include slight pain or discomfort at the points where the needles are applied.  A tiny amount of bleeding may also occur after the needles are removed, which usually stops after a few seconds.  You may also occasionally feel an “electric” or tingling feeling when the needle is applied, but this is quite rare.

Conclusion:

Peripheral neuropathy is when your nerves stop functioning properly, which may result in symptoms like tingling sensations, pain, and loss of experiencing temperature sensations in the limbs. Acupuncture is a technique which uses thin needles to rebalance the flow of energy in the body, which can help heal conditions like neuropathy.  Overall, acupuncture may be a very effective treatment option for you, and often has a very low risk of side effects.

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Anthony, K. (2018, September 18). Peripheral Neuropathy Natural Treatments. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/peripheral-neuropathy-natural-treatments 

Anthony, K. (2018, September 29). Acupuncture for Neuropathy.  Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/acupuncture-for-neuropathy#benefits 

Carey, E. (2021, October 5). Peripheral Neuropathy. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/peripheral-neuropathy

Centre of Balance Hamilton: Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine (n.d.). Archive for category: Neuropathy. https://balancetcm.co.nz/category/a-z-diseases/neuropathy/

Phua, S. (n.d.). What Is Traditional Chinese Medicine? Centre of Balance Hamilton: Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine. https://balancetcm.co.nz/traditional-chinese-medicine-hamilton/

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Monica

I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance. Helping patients to alleviate their pain brings me the greatest joy. Chinese medicine emphasises the unity of human beings and nature. During the treatment, I hope to not only relieve your pain but also help you to understand the principles behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, as well as the significant impact of diet, emotions, lifestyle habits, and living environments on disease recovery. Self-healing is an ability that our bodies are naturally endowed with.

I studied acupuncture in New Zealand and completed one and a half years of supervised clinical internship before graduating. In the early stage of my training, I mainly worked with patients experiencing neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. Under the guidance of senior clinical tutors, I gradually developed hands-on experience and confidence in treating musculoskeletal pain conditions.
As my clinical exposure expanded, I began treating a wider range of internal conditions. Alongside traditional acupuncture, I was introduced to Umbilical Acupuncture and Tungs-acupuncture Points. What interested me most about these approaches is that they often do not require needling directly at the painful area, yet can still achieve very effective results.
I was especially inspired by observing my supervisor use Umbilical Acupuncture to treat common conditions such as insomnia, menstrual irregularities, and even rheumatoid arthritis, with very positive outcomes. Another supervisor was highly skilled in Tungs-acupuncture Points and achieved excellent results in treating pain, infertility, menstrual disorders, and a variety of women’s health conditions. After completing my studies and entering clinical practice, once I observed Dr. Szenan Phua using Tungs-acupuncture points to help cancer patients relieve pain, which further strengthened my trust in this treatment method.
I later completed training in Dr. Tan Balance Acupuncture, which had a strong influence on the way I approach treatment. One of the most noticeable features of this method is how quickly patients often feel improvement, especially with pain conditions. Dr. Szenan Phua’s New Balance Acupuncture combines meridian regulation with structural adjustment and internal organ balancing, including techniques such as pulse balancing and spinal adjustment.
From my clinical experience, pain is rarely just a local issue. It often involves underlying organ weakness or structural imbalance. When these aspects are addressed together, treatment can be more thorough and longer-lasting. I also apply this approach to internal conditions, particularly in fertility and women’s health. This includes supporting natural conception, IVF preparation and embryo transfer, pregnancy support, early-pregnancy nausea, and late-pregnancy labour induction. I combine these treatments with concepts learned from a few additional fertility training, which has given me a broader and more flexible clinical perspective. This has reinforced my belief that acupuncture should be adapted to each individual rather than applied through fixed formulas.
Two other areas of study that have been very helpful in my clinical work are Tongue Diagnosis and Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture. Although tongue diagnosis is taught in my standard Chinese medicine training, further study allowed me to deepen and refine my diagnostic skills.
My first formal training was in Li’s Tongue Diagnosis, which looks not only at organ patterns, but also at how different areas of the tongue reflect the body’s structure. This system also explores personality traits and changes during pregnancy, making it both clinically useful and engaging. I later attended online lectures on Yin’s Tongue Diagnosis and studied the related materials independently. this learning has helped me make clearer and more accurate pattern differentiation, allowing my acupuncture treatments to be more targeted. It covers a wide range of conditions, including skin disorders, oncology-related presentations, mental health patterns, and joint or limb problems. In practice, tongue observation often provides valuable insight even before a patient begins describing their symptoms.
In addition to the methods above, I regularly use local bloodletting techniques, which can be very effective for improving circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. I also incorporate auricular (ear) acupressure and stimulation, which I commonly use for allergies, insomnia, headaches, stress management, and various internal conditions.
In my clinical work, I value taking the time to listen carefully to each patient and to understand their overall health, lifestyle, and concerns. Based on each individual’s condition, I also provide personalised dietary guidance and lifestyle or wellness advice to support overall health and long-term wellbeing. I commonly support patients with musculoskeletal pain, such as neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain, as well as stress-related conditions, sleep issues, migraines, digestive concerns, and women’s health and fertility-related conditions.