acupuncture nerve pain

Can acupuncture help with nerve pain? Looking into natural ways

Millions of people have nerve pain, sometimes called neuropathic pain, which can make it hard to go about their regular lives. It can be caused by diabetes, infections, trauma, or bad reactions to drugs. People often say it feels like burning, tingling, numbness, or acute shooting pain. 

Individuals often use pharmaceuticals to address their symptoms, but more and more individuals are looking towards complementary and natural therapies, like acupuncture, as part of a bigger plan to deal with pain.

Understanding Nerve Pain

Nerve pain occurs when damaged, crushed, or dysfunctional nerves send incorrect or intensified pain signals to the brain. Neuropathic pain usually lasts longer and is harder to treat with normal pain treatment methods than muscle or joint pain.

acupuncture help nerve pain

What causes Nerve Pain, and what are its Symptoms?

Nerve pain can be caused by several diseases or injuries that damage nerves. It might be mild or severe, and it often lasts a long time. 

Some common causes are

  • Diabetes: This condition often causes diabetic neuropathy, which affects the hands and feet. 
  • Sciatica is discomfort that starts in the lower back and spreads down the leg because of nerve compression. 
  • Shingles (postherpetic neuralgia) is nerve discomfort that lasts after a shingles outbreak. 
  • Injury or surgery—Trauma or surgery can injure nerves and create pain that lasts a long time. 
  • Chemotherapy: Some cancer therapies can cause neuropathy, which is caused by chemotherapy. 
  • Autoimmune illnesses, including lupus or multiple sclerosis, can damage nerve tissue. 

Some common signs are

  • Feeling like you’re on fire or stabbing numbness
  • tingling, or “pins and needles”
  • Being too sensitive to touch or heat
  • Pain that feels like an electric jolt
  • Weakness or less coordination in the areas that are affected 

These symptoms may constantly happen or only sometimes, and they can make it hard to sleep, move around, and feel comfortable.

Risk Factors and Diagnosis

Knowing what risk factors are will help with early intervention and effective management of nerve pain. 

Things that make you more likely to get sick are

  • Long-term illnesses like diabetes, renal disease, and thyroid problems
  • Infections caused by viruses, such as HIV or shingles, and long-term alcohol usage can cause nerve damage and nutritional shortages. 
  • Being around poisons or some drugs 
  • Nerve compression can happen because of bad posture, repetitive strain, or trauma. 
  • Ageing (the inevitable breakdown of nerves over time)
acupuncture nerve pain

How do Doctors figure out if you have Nerve Pain?

A full approach is frequently used to make a diagnosis:

  • Review of medical history, which includes past illnesses, treatments, and symptoms 
  • Neurological exam—checking reflexes, muscle strength, and feeling
  • Diagnostic tests can include nerve conduction investigations, EMG, or MRI scans.
  • Blood tests to find deficits or diseases that affect the whole body, like diabetes

To find out if acupuncture for nerve pain can be a beneficial addition to your care plan, you need to have the right diagnosis.

Can Acupuncture Help with Nerve Pain?

Many people are turning to acupuncture as a natural, drug-free alternative when typical pain treatment approaches don’t work or have bad side effects. Acupuncture is an important part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). To help the body heal and stay in equilibrium, sterile, ultra-fine needles are carefully put into certain spots on the body. At Yi Hong Acupuncture Clinic in Adelaide, we often help people with different kinds of nerve pain by giving them a personalised, research-based treatment plan.

How Acupuncture Helps with Nerve Pain

Acupuncture may help ease nerve pain through several bodily processes:

1. Control of the Nervous System

Acupuncture may help manage pain by lowering overactive nerve signals in the central and peripheral nervous systems.

2. Release of Endorphins

In addition to making you feel better and less stressed, therapy can also help your body release endorphins, which are chemicals that naturally relieve pain. 

3. Lessening of inflammation

Some nerve discomfort is linked to inflammation. It has been reported that acupuncture lowers inflammatory markers, which may make you feel better.

4. More blood flow

Increased blood flow may help a natural recovery by helping to heal tissues and feed injured nerves. 

Clinical studies show that many people with sciatica, peripheral neuropathy, and postherpetic neuralgia had reduced pain and better function after getting acupuncture.

nerve pain acupuncture

Natural Ways to Treat Nerve Pain

Acupuncture is one natural way to aid with nerve pain, but there are others as well:

  • Nutritional support, especially foods high in vitamin B12, magnesium, and anti-inflammatory properties 
  • Meditation, mindfulness, or tai chi are all mind-body techniques that can help reduce stress. 
  • To stay flexible and lower tension, do mild exercise and stretching. 
  • Topical treatments, including herbal balms or essential oils, can help with mild pain. 
  • Changes to your lifestyle—better posture and ergonomic assistance can help ease nerve pain. 

These treatments can work with acupuncture to make a more complete and long-term plan for managing pain.

To Sum Up

If you want a natural, non-invasive way to relieve persistent nerve pain, acupuncture can be a good choice. Acupuncture can help you get better by improving blood flow, reducing inflammation, and calming the nervous system. 

We at Yi Hong Acupuncture Clinic offer personalised care that is founded on knowledge and kindness. We encourage you to find out more about how acupuncture can help your health. Set up your consultation now to start on the road to natural, long-lasting relief.