Neuropathy and nerve pain can cause numbness, tingling, burning, shooting pain, or unusual sensitivity, often in the hands and feet. At Seneca Falls Acupuncture, we work with patients experiencing many types of nerve-related symptoms, with a particular focus on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and diabetic neuropathy.

Acupuncture may help reduce neuropathy symptoms and improve comfort and quality of life.

Our licensed acupuncturists provide individualized care for patients in Seneca Falls and throughout the Finger Lakes who are looking for additional support in managing neuropathy and nerve pain.

What is Neuropathy?

Neuropathy can occur when nerves are damaged or not working properly, disrupting the signals they carry between the brain, spinal cord, and the rest of the body. Peripheral neuropathy most commonly affects the hands and feet and can cause symptoms such as numbness, tingling, burning, pain, sensitivity, or weakness.

There are many possible causes of neuropathy. Two that we commonly focus on at Seneca Falls Acupuncture are diabetic neuropathy, caused by nerve damage associated with diabetes, and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), which can develop as a side effect of certain chemotherapy medications.

Common Neuropathy and Nerve Pain Symptoms

Neuropathy often feels a little different from person to person, depending on which nerves are affected. Common symptoms include:

– Numbness or reduced sensation
– Tingling or “pins and needles”
– Burning pain
– Sharp, shooting, or electric-like pain
– Increased sensitivity to touch or pressure
– Weakness in the hands, feet, arms, or legs
– Changes in balance or coordination because it’s hard to feel the toes or feet

One common statement we hear from patients is that even having a light sheet on their feet in bed can cause burning pain of the toes.

We also sometimes hear people describe numbness as painful, which sounds counterintuitive but is common. Lack of typical sensation can still allow for other sensations and can be incredibly uncomfortable.

If either of these has been your experience, you’re not alone.

Symptoms most often affect the hands, feet, fingers, and toes, although nerve pain and altered sensation can occur in other areas of the body as well.

Types and Causes of Neuropathy and Nerve Pain

Neuropathy and nerve pain can have many different causes:

– Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, which can develop during or after treatment with certain chemotherapy medications
– Diabetic neuropathy, caused by nerve damage associated with diabetes
– Pinched or compressed nerves
– Sciatica and radiating nerve pain
– Nerve pain or altered sensation following an injury or surgery
– Idiopathic neuropathy, when there is no identifiable underlying cause

Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy and Research

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common side effect of certain chemotherapy medications. It most often affects the hands and feet and may cause numbness, tingling, burning, pain, weakness, or changes in balance and coordination. For some people, these symptoms continue after chemotherapy has ended.

Acupuncture is increasingly being studied as a supportive treatment for chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.

Memorial Sloan Kettering randomized clinical trial, 2020:

Researchers randomized 75 cancer patients with moderate-to-severe CIPN to real acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or usual care.

After eight weeks, the real acupuncture group had significant reductions in pain, tingling, and numbness compared with usual care. Average pain decreased by 1.75 points in the acupuncture group compared with 0.19 points with usual care. The improvement in pain was still present at the 12-week follow-up.

Read the JAMA Network Open study.

At Seneca Falls Acupuncture, chemotherapy-induced neuropathy is one of the types of nerve pain we focus on, and we have experience working with patients both during and after cancer treatment.

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and Research

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes that develops when high blood sugar levels damage nerves over time. It most often affects the feet and legs, and sometimes the hands and arms, causing symptoms such as numbness, tingling, burning, sensitivity, or nerve pain.

Acupuncture for the Management of Chronic Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials:

Acupuncture may help manage the pain and other neurological symptoms associated with diabetic neuropathy. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials involving 1,169 people found that acupuncture may reduce pain and overall neurological symptom severity in people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Read the research here.

At Seneca Falls Acupuncture, we often work with patients with diabetic neuropathy with the goal of making them more comfortable, so they can return to doing the things they love.

How Acupuncture May Help Neuropathy and Nerve Pain

Acupuncture is used to regulate the nervous system and influence the way the body processes pain. Research suggests treatment may affect pain signaling, circulation (blood flow), inflammation, and nerve function.

Because neuropathy can have many different causes, treatment at Seneca Falls Acupuncture is individualized. We take into account the underlying cause of your neuropathy, how long you’ve had it, the severity of your symptoms, and your overall health when developing your treatment plan.

What to Expect From Your Acupuncture Treatment Plan for Neuropathy

Your treatment plan will depend on the type and severity of your neuropathy, how long you’ve been experiencing symptoms, and how you respond to acupuncture.

For most patients with neuropathy, we recommend starting with one treatment per week for eight weeks. Acupuncture is cumulative, which means that the benefits tend to build over time with consistent treatment. We like to think of it as re-training the body’s pain response, and that takes time.

You can also compare it to exercise. After one exercise session, you may feel great, but for results to last over time, consistent sessions are necessary. As you improve, we aim to gradually space appointments farther apart.

Some neuropathy patients continue with monthly maintenance treatments. It is often easier to maintain good results with regular treatments than it is to stop treatment, let symptoms build up again, and have to start from scratch.

Your acupuncturist will discuss their recommendations with you at your first appointment and adjust your treatment plan based on your progress.

Why Choose Seneca Falls Acupuncture for Neuropathy Treatment?

At Seneca Falls Acupuncture, our licensed acupuncturists have experience working with a wide range of chronic pain and nerve-related conditions, including diabetic neuropathy and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Our clinic has been voted Best Acupuncture Clinic in the Finger Lakes four years in a row in the FLX Finest competition, and we have more than 110 five-star Google reviews from patients in our community.

We provide personalized acupuncture treatment in Seneca Falls, serving patients from throughout the Finger Lakes, including Waterloo, Geneva, Auburn, and surrounding communities.

Can Acupuncture Help Neuropathy That Has Been Present for Years?

Yes, acupuncture may still be helpful even when symptoms have been present for a long time. One clinical trial of acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy included patients whose chemotherapy had ended as long as 92 months earlier and found significant improvements in neuropathy symptoms after eight weeks of acupuncture.

In our experience, chronic symptoms often require consistent treatment, and your acupuncturist will monitor your progress and adjust your treatment plan based on how you respond.

Can I Get Acupuncture While Getting Chemotherapy?

Yes, acupuncture can be used as supportive care during chemotherapy, and research has studied acupuncture given concurrently with chemotherapy for symptoms including chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and fatigue.

If you are currently undergoing cancer treatment, we recommend discussing acupuncture with your oncology team so that your care can be coordinated appropriately.

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re living with neuropathy or nerve pain, including diabetic neuropathy or chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, we would love to support you.

Click here to schedule your first acupuncture appointment online or contact us to make an appointment.

You’re also more than welcome to get in touch if you have questions about whether acupuncture may be a good fit for you.

Phone/Text: (607) 216-8112

Email: info@senecafallsacupuncture.com

Address: 12 N. Park Street, Seneca Falls, NY 13148