Tingling Feet?

This is a really uncomfortable condition for a lot of patients. It can be caused by diabetes, chemotherapy treatment, or sometimes from nerve damage affecting the low back. Fortunately, it responds really well to treatment with a combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Functional Medicine. Read on to find out what you can do at home, and what we do for this condition in the office.

Symptoms and concerns associated withPeripheral Neuropathy include:

• Numbness
  
• Burnings
  
• Tingling
  
• Reduced Balance
  
• Increased risk of Falling
  

​Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment

In Chinese Medicine the proper function of our body is dependent on the circulation of Qi and Blood. Distributed along the pathways of our nervous, circulatory, and physical anatomy are special locations where this circulation can be altered and improved. Those locations, the acupuncture points, create changes in the available nutrients, blood, energy, and nervous function in that area the treatment is targeting. It has even been found that acupuncture points have an effect inside the brain, where they increase resources, attention and healing to a specific location or structure in the body. By choosing the proper points we can alter the potency of the nerve impulses, the available Qi and the circulation of blood to the areas of the hands or feet affected by Peripheral Neuropathy. Other points target the underlying cause for the neuropathy (these might be points support detoxification of the chemo drugs, reduction of the chronically elevated blood sugars and support of the metabolic function of glycemic control, or nerve compression in the spine.)

​Nutritional Support

Most of our patients being treated for Peripheral Neuropathy will also use a combination of Nutritional Supplements and Nutritional Counseling. Supplements that we often use for Peripheral Neuropathy include:

• Alpha Lipoic Acid - Protects the nerve tissue from damage and helps to reverse oxidative damage to the small nerves.
  
• N-Acetyl Cysteine - A precursor to glutathione, the body’s primary antioxidant. NAC supports the body’s ability to heal damage and prevent further damage.
  
• Benfotiamine - This hyper-absorbable form of B1 has been found to both protect and regenerate nerves damaged from various causes.
  

Our Nutritional Counseling sessions draw on a combination of Functional Medicine based practices, Traditional Chinese dietary theory and accountability support. We begin with templates designed by the Institute for Functional Medicine and modify them to meet our patients’ commitment level and unique presentation. We support your learning with videos, recipes, handouts, and periodic check-ins to keep you on track.

Do you know someone who has been struggling with numbness or tingling in their hands or feet? Forward this newsletter, we’d love the chance to help them.