Recently Diagnosed or Relapsed? Stop Looking For a Miracle Cure, and Use Evidence-Based Therapies To Enhance Your Treatment and Prolong Your Remission
Multiple Myeloma an incurable disease, but I have spent the last 25 years in remission using a blend of conventional oncology and evidence-based nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle therapies from peer-reviewed studies that your oncologist probably hasn't told you about.
Click the orange button to the right to learn more about what you can start doing today.
- You are here:
- Home »
- Blog »
- Multiple Myeloma »
- Can Acupunture Repair Nerves?
Can Acupunture Repair Nerves?
Can acupuncture repair nerves? Yes and no, according to artificial intelligence. I was diagnosed with radiation-induced peripheral neuropathy as a result of local radiation to my iliac crest and sacrum.
While the video linked below is not the most visually stimulating video, I am linking it because the content gives a thorough explanation of plexopathy in general and radiation-induced lumbosacral specifically.
Plexopathy Explained Causes, Symptoms and Treatment, All Insights
I hold out hope for acupuncture promoting nerve repair because I of AI quoting a study from a NIH study below and the comment that “acupuncture may promote nerve repair by stimulating the nervous system to release chemicals that facilitate healing”
For the record, I am not looking for acupuncture to completely reiterate my lower body nerve function. I’m 65 plus years old and my running/skiing/basketball days a behind me. I am simply trying to maintain enough leg strength and function to walk comfortably.
Do you have radiation damage in general or RILP specifically? If so, I am curious about how you manage it. Exercise? Nutritional supplementation?
Email me at David.PeopleBeatingCancer@gmail.com and let me know.
Thanks,
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Acupuncture cannot regenerate radiation-damaged nerves, but it can be effective in managing symptoms like radiotherapy-related neuropathic pain, according to a 2023 Frontiers study and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Acupuncture may promote nerve repair by stimulating the nervous system to release chemicals that facilitate healing, as suggested by a National Institutes of Health study, though more research is needed to fully understand its regenerative mechanisms.
How acupuncture helps with nerve damage symptoms:
-
Pain relief:
Acupuncture can stimulate nerves to release chemicals that modify pain perception.
-
Reduced hypersensitivity:
Studies have shown acupuncture can alleviate symptoms like burning, tingling, and numbness associated with radiotherapy-related neuropathic pain (RRNP).
-
Improved quality of life:
Research indicates acupuncture can improve the overall quality of life for cancer survivors experiencing neuropathy.
Potential for nerve repair:
-
Stimulates natural healing:
Acupuncture may trigger the central nervous system to release biochemicals that stimulate the body’s own healing processes for injured nerves.
-
Promotes nerve continuity:
Some research suggests acupuncture can enhance the connection between peripheral and central nerves, potentially speeding up the repair of damaged nerves.
-
Increases key regenerative factors:
Electroacupuncture has been shown to boost the expression of GDNF and N-cadherin in neurons, which are protective factors for facial nerve regeneration.
Important Considerations:
-
Complementary approach:
Acupuncture is often used as a complementary therapy alongside medications to manage side effects, especially for patients intolerant to drugs.
-
Need for more research:
While promising, more well-designed, randomized, and large-scale studies are needed to confirm acupuncture’s full effects and understand its precise mechanisms for nerve repair.
-
Not a cure for damage:It’s crucial to remember that acupuncture is not a cure for nerve damage, but a method to improve function and manage symptoms after injury.Can acupuncture repair nerves Can acupuncture repair nerves Can acupuncture repair nerves