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Nerve damage is a an extremely variable condition that can manifest in loss of or limited range of motion, tingling, numbness, pain, and a host of other symptoms depending on what nerves are affected. Treatment typically is conducted by a neurologist in order to determine what approach needs to be used: medications like oral or nerve blocks, electrical stimulation methods, physical therapy, or surgery. Prognosis for recovery, the sooner treatment begins the better the chance for recovery.
Chinese medicine categorizes nerve damage depending on the main symptoms, and these categorizations are usually given names of things similar to things we see in nature. Typical presentations in Chinese medicine terminology include:
Phlegm: For conditions caused by growths and numbness
Cold: For conditions that get worse during certain seasons usually manifesting as sinew and muscle contraction and throbbing and sharp pain.
Damp: For conditions that result in quick fatigue, swelling, extreme or dull achy pain, or tingling.
Wind: For conditions that cause stiffness, uncontrolled movement, spasm, or muscle twitching.
Acupuncture treatments using the Plum Blossom needle approach sometimes used for nerve damage can vary just about as much as the symptoms. This approach goes beyond the mere sticking of needles. Electroacupuncture, for example, is one type of acupuncture treatment that’s used to treat very stubborn pain, sensation problems, and loss of range of motion. This is a treatment that helps promote or steer nerve growth, and can be effective used for long-term neuropathy in any peripheral nerve or for neuralgia.
Like acupuncture, moxibustion is another Chinese medicine treatment that’s heat-based and involves the burning of moxa herbs. It is frequently used for tingling, fatigue, or spasm to treat fluid congestion and halt inflammatory cycles that may interfere with nerve activity. The plum blossom needle approach uses a small hammer with blunt metal ends that is tapped against the skin. It helps stimulate sensory nerve regeneration in small regions and can alleviate pain caused by inflammation or post-herpetic neuralgia and other febrile-based conditions.
It can be quite a challenging experience when dealing with nervous system disorders and nerve damage. Oftentimes, these conditions take a long time to resolve especially if they have been left untreated for several years. People who seek treatment usually go for both Western and Eastern medicine approaches ASAP in order to completely recover. An acupuncturist uses the knowledge of Chinese medicine to attend to the whole constitution of the patient, while both medical systems can work on the issue at hand.