Acupuncture for Peripheral Neuropathy in Rockville, Maryland

Peripheral neuropathy causes the numbness, tingling, burning, or shooting pain in the hands, feet, and limbs, and is one of the most challenging conditions to treat in conventional medicine. The typical course of action is to offer symptom management, usually medication to blunt the sensation. Unfortunately, many patients are told it is something that might go away with time, but they otherwise just have to live with it.

We approach it differently. Dr. Erin Langley has completed specialized post-graduate training in the acupuncture treatment of peripheral neuropathy, and has direct clinical experience with some of its most difficult forms through her oncology externship at the Kaufmann Cancer Center. This is a challenging condition to treat, but acupuncture can help.

Soapstone Acupuncture's Rockville practice is located in the Twinbrook neighborhood - a quiet location with easy, free parking.

What's Actually Happening in Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy occurs when the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord are damaged, disrupted, or starved of what they need. The resulting interference in nerve signaling produces symptoms ranging from mild tingling to severe burning, stabbing pain, numbness, hypersensitivity, weakness, and balance problems.

Common causes we see in our Rockville practice:

•       Diabetic neuropathy — by far the most common form

•       Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN)

•       Post-viral neuropathy, including long COVID

•       Idiopathic neuropathy — no identified cause, more common than most people expect

•       Nutritional deficiencies (B12, B6, folate)

•       Autoimmune conditions — lupus, Guillain-Barré, and others

•       Medication side effects

How Acupuncture Supports Nerve Healing

Nerves can heal and regenerate, though they do so slowly. Acupuncture supports this process in several ways. It increases local blood flow to peripheral tissues, which is essential for nerve repair. It stimulates nerve fibers directly, improving conduction velocity and helping reestablish healthy signaling. And it modulates the central nervous system's pain processing, reducing the burning and hypersensitivity even in cases where nerve regeneration is incomplete.

In East Asian Medicine, neuropathy is typically understood as a deficiency of Qi and Blood in the channels. With this deficiency, the body is less able to adequately nourish and warm the extremities. Treatment focuses on building and circulating those substances through the affected areas, and supporting the organ systems responsible for producing them.

Specialized Therapies for Neuropathy at Our Rockville Location

•       Electro-stimulation (E-stim) — our most important tool for neuropathy. Attaching gentle electrical current to acupuncture needles directly stimulates nerve tissue, promotes nerve conduction velocity, and appears to support axonal regeneration.

•       Moxibustion — warming heat therapy for the profound cold and numbness that often accompanies nerve deficiency

•       Chinese Herbal Medicine — formulas targeting blood circulation, nerve nourishment, and the underlying deficiency driving the damage

An Honest Conversation About Expectations

Long-standing, severe nerve damage may not fully reverse. Nerves heal very slowly so recovery from neuopathy does take time.. But with consistency and patience, clients can experience reduced pain intensity, improved sensation, better balance and proprioception, and improved quality of life. The earlier treatment begins, the better the outcomes tend to be, so if you've been sitting with a new diagnosis wondering whether to try acupuncture, sooner is better.

We welcome Rockville patients as well as those coming from Gaithersburg, Olney, North Potomac, Bethesda, and the broader Montgomery County area.

Schedule a free 15-minute video consultation to talk about your specific situation and what we can realistically offer.