Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Experiences Therapies

Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: Experiences, Therapies

Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: Experiences, Therapies- Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) affects up to 70% of cancer patients. Learn causes, symptoms, long-term risks, and evidence-based integrative therapies from a long-term survivor.

While I have written many posts about CIPN over the years, this post includes everything that I’ve learned about CIPN- from chemo regimens to possible therapies.

I’ve linked the video below because it is the most direct explanation of this debilitating side effect I could find. If your CIPN resolves once treatment ends, great. Consider yourself lucky. However, if your CIPN is permanently then this post is for you.

My recommendation is to undergo therapies to reduce or eliminate CIPN as soon as possible. Meaning, eat nutritiously, supplement (see below), exercise daily, undergo cryotherapy, and begin HBOT treatments as soon as possible.

You might find my other recommendation to be frustrating. And that is to prepare your body to withstand the toxicity of conventional treatments as best you can.

Be sure to watch each of the videos about:

Scroll down the page and post questions or comments. Hang in there,

Good luck,

David Emerson

Everything Neuropathy: Chemotherapy & Radiation-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

🔑 What is chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN)?

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is nerve damage caused by cancer treatments such as taxanes, platinum drugs, and bortezomib, leading to numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness that can persist long after treatment ends.

Good news, bad news. The good news is that I don’t experience much pain. The reason why this is is because my legs are almost completely numb. My walk is unstable and I fall occasionally My wife got me to switch from my walking sticks to a rotator- slower but no more falls…

🧬 My Experience as a Multiple Myeloma Survivor

When I underwent my induction therapies and then my autologous stem cell transplant for multiple myeloma, there was never any discussion of possible nerve damage. Please don’t expect your oncologist to talk about possible side effects of treatment. Oncology focuses on getting cancer patients into remission.

In my experience, oncology does a lousy job of treating side effects.

Tingling in my feet progressed to almost complete numbness from my knees down-
Balance issues made walking difficult- I went from a cane to walking sticks to a rotator-
Symptoms slowly progressed year after year.

Like many survivors, I was not prepared for how long-lasting and life-altering CIPN can be.

📊 What the Research Says

CIPN affects ~30–70% of chemotherapy patients
Up to 30% experience chronic symptoms years later

Common Causes:

Taxanes (paclitaxel, docetaxel)
Platinum drugs (cisplatin, oxaliplatin)
Vinca alkaloids (vincristine)
Proteasome inhibitors (bortezomib)

Mechanisms:

Axonal degeneration
Mitochondrial dysfunction
Oxidative stress
Neuroinflammation

⚠️ Who Is Most at Risk

High cumulative chemotherapy dose
Combination regimens
Pre-existing neuropathy or diabetes
Older age
Nutritional deficiencies

🧠 Long-Term Survivorship Reality

CIPN is not just a short-term side effect.

It can:

Persist for years or permanently
Limit mobility and independence
Reduce quality of life

👉 Many survivors report:

Difficulty walking
Chronic pain
Sleep disruption

Conventional therapies that your oncologist may prescribe will not heal CIPN and can cause serious side effects-

Gabapentin side effects

🌿 Evidence-Based Integrative Therapies

1. Exercise (Strongest Evidence)

Improves nerve function and balance
Reduces symptom severity

2. Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Antioxidant that may support nerve regeneration

3. Glutamine

May reduce the severity of symptoms in some patients

4. Curcumin

Anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective

5. Acupuncture

Clinical evidence supports symptom reduction

⚠️ Note: Always coordinate with your oncology team.

🔗 To learn more about managing CIPN:

📚 PubMed Evidence Appendix

Simultaneous hyperbaric oxygen therapy during systemic chemotherapy reverses chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy by inhibiting TLR4 and TRPV1 activation in the central and peripheral nervous system

Results: The mechanical and thermal behavior tests revealed that HBOT intervention during PAC treatment led to the early alleviation of CIPN symptoms and inhibited CIPN deterioration. IF staining revealed that TLR4, TRPV1, and microglial activation were all upregulated in PAC-injected rats and exhibited early and significant downregulation in SHBOT-treated rats.

Conclusion: This study is the first to demonstrate that the use of SHBOT during PAC treatment has potential for the early suppression of CIPN initiation and deterioration, indicating that it can alleviate CIPN symptoms and may reverse CIPN in patients undergoing systemic chemotherapy…

Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: Experiences, Therapies-

Diagnosed with Cancer? Your two greatest challenges are understanding cancer and understanding possible side effects from chemo and radiation. Knowledge is Power!