- Sama Ali-Berchem
Can Acupuncture help with Nerve Pain?
Updated: Mar 17

Acupuncture has long been respected for its ability to assist with nerve pain. For many patients that seek acupuncture, traditional medical solutions have proven unsuccessful in treating chronic or persistent nerve pain. These patients may at times feel that their doctors aren’t properly understanding their symptoms, or that the treatments they offer aren’t sufficient when it comes to the persistent pain these patients experience. Acupuncture offers a solution. If you want to find a way to treat nerve pain today, then it’s time to find a reliable service for Acupuncture in Bloomington MN today.
What is Nerve Pain?
Nerve pain is a common ailment that affects millions of people every year. The pain can be mild or severe and can present itself in many different ways. It’s important to note that nerve pain isn’t the same as muscle pain, which you may get from working out too hard or doing some other physical activity. Nerve pain occurs when there is an injury to nerves or damage done to their protective coating called myelin sheaths, which prevents electrical signals from traveling down them properly. The most common causes of nerve pain are carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica and pinched nerves. All three conditions can benefit from acupuncture treatment. If you suffer from any of these ailments, then it’s time to find a reliable expert for Acupuncture in Bloomington MN today.
Increasing Blood Flow
One of the defining treatment characteristics of acupuncture is its ability to increase blood flow to an affected area. Thin needles are carefully and painlessly inserted into either the affected area or a corresponding part of the body (sometimes both!), where they will stay for a typical period of around 20 minutes. During this time, many patients claim to feel a relaxed, calming sensation that can often help put them to sleep during the duration of the treatment. During the treatment time, patients may experience a slight warming sensation at needle sights, where blood flow has been increased. Acupuncture needles help to alert the body that certain areas are in need of additional assistance. Once these parts of your body have been alerted during acupuncture treatment, the healing process can begin. But how does this relate to nerve pain? Acupuncture can alert areas of your body to resistant signals, which through increased blood flow may finally relax and return to a non-disruptive state. In addition, acupuncture can help deal with parts of the body that have lost some nerve sensation, and may help reduce tingling or other unpleasant sensations. The increased blood flow to these sites of the body helps to stimulate the body’s nerve pathways without resulting in nerve damage. For help improving your body’s health, reach out to a local acupuncture expert for help today.
Increasing Muscle and Nerve Awareness
From the viewpoint of western medicine, acupuncture treatments are often regarded as beneficial to the body because of their ability to awaken and stimulate muscle and nerve awareness throughout points of a patient’s body.
It’s not a One-Time Treatment
Unfortunately, acupuncture will not be as effective if only performed one time for chronic nerve pain issues. Keep in mind that, in many cases, these persistent, chronic conditions which have built slowly over time will also take time and patience to get rid of. Acupuncture needles can increase blood flow and nutrients to the sources of pain in a patient, and will help to heal nerves and muscles in the affected area.
Risks of Acupuncture
While those with Trypanophobia, or the fear of needles, might not believe it- acupuncture has very little risk when performed by a licensed professional. Minimal side effects may include slight bruising or pain around a needle site. However, if performed by someone who is not a licensed professional, patients run the risk of more serious issues like organ puncturing from needles being pushed too deeply, or even infections from improperly sterilized needles.
Why should I choose Acupuncture for Nerve Pain?
The benefit to seeking a treatment solution like acupuncture is that you suffer no medication side effects. While follow-up treatments are recommended to ensure the best results of acupuncture treatment possible, once you leave an appointment you won’t have to deal with uncomfortable or unpleasant side effects like you would when taking medication. For some people, medication that can help solve their nerve pain is unusable because of adverse side effects, or because other conditions prevent them from taking medication that puts them at risk for larger health concerns. For these patients, finding a reliable acupuncturist is crucial in treating their persistent pain, while not endangering them from medication side effects.
Are you interested in finding an acupuncturist near you? Someone who specializes in herbal medicine, chronic pain, nerve pain and nerve pain relief, fatigue, insomnia, ATP Resonance BioTherapy™, LIFE Fertility BioTherapy™, and other forms of alternative medical care? Edina Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine is here to help you feel your best again. If you're looking for a licensed herbalist and acupuncturist in St. Paul, Minneapolis, or the Twin Cities area, reach out to Edina Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine today.