Chemo induced neuropathy

forum post

Chemo induced neuropathy

Published on 12-19-2011


"archived-user" has authored 334 other posts.

Submitted By: peter_med

One of my patients is 68 yo lady and had colon cacer removed about five years
ago. After post-surgery chemo, she developed both hand finger tips and bottom of
feet tingling, numbness and sensitive to touch. My chinese Dx are blood
deficiency and phlegm stagnation. I treated her weekly for four weeks and a
little massagge. It seems to not much change. Points I used are Baxie, Bafeng
locally and general points like LI10, LI4, ST36, ST40, LV3, SP9, SP6 etc. I also
gave her herb Du Huo Ji Sheng Wan taken. Any suggestion? Appreciate.

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  • Comments / Discussions:

    comment by "archived-user"
    on Dec 2011

    Tingling may internal wind, check her blood pressure, if high, she may wind phlegm attack with live and kidney yin deficiency, use points: Ren4, St40, Kd3,6, Sp6, Lv3, Li4, Lv8, Ub17,18, 20, 23, Sp10, Pc6, Gb34, Gb8, Gb20, St36. Herb formula: Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang.

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    comment by "ChadD" (acupuncturist)
    on Dec 2011

    We unfortunately see this quite a bit, but generally get very good results. I usually do something like the following:


    General support for someone with cancer/cancer history (weakened immunity, qi and blood, generally) to this you might add some general TCM pattern related points, ST 36 for example:


    <ul>
    <li>
    GV 22 - frontal lobe, stress, anxiety, hormonal balances</li>
    <li>
    GV 19 - sensory cortex</li>
    <li>
    GB 20</li>
    <li>
    Huatuo of T1, T2, T3 - bone marrow, thymus and lung/lymph system respectively</li>
    <li>
    Huatuo of T7 - any blood issue</li>
    </ul>

    For neuropathy in the hands:


    <ul>
    <li>
    HT 7, PC 7 and LU 9 (occasionally use baxie but don&#39t find them very effective)</li>
    <li>
    PC 4 or PC 5 as appropriate</li>
    <li>
    Following treatment deep tuina from huatuo of C6/7 through shoulder and down the inside of the forearm multiple times vigorously, then light massage in the palm and fingers (tuina, I believe, is crucial)</li>
    </ul>

    For neuropathy in the feet:


    <ul>
    <li>
    Huatuo of L2 (kidneys), L5 (colon) and UB 32</li>
    <li>
    UB 40, UB 57, GB 39, UB 60, KD 3, SP 3 (sometimes bafeng, but again I generally don&#39t find them helpful, occasionally KD 1 as well but same caveat).</li>
    <li>
    Following treatment deep tuina from huatuo of L2 down through the legs, through the calf muscles multiple times vigoroursly, then light massage in the feet and toes (again tuina is important)</li>
    </ul>

    Personally I don&#39t find herbal medicines very helpful (but that is partially my own bias in favoring acupuncture and tuina for cancer generally and neuropathy particularly)..

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    comment by "Fjennings"
    on Dec 2011

    I&#39ve found moxa useful for this. Just used stick moxa & played it up & down the area concerned.

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    comment by "Andrea1"
    on Apr 2014

    I have been trating a 55yo male for a few weeks now with chemotherapy induced neuropathy after a battle with colon cancer. It&#39s been mostly in his hands along the SJ/PC channels with some inclusion of LI/LU. The first treatment I used Dr. Richard Tan&#39s "12 magical points" which theoretically rebalances the Qi in all 12 meridians.

    Right: LI 4, SJ3 , SI 3, SP 6, Liv 4, K 3

    Left: LU 11, P 9, Ht 9, ST 36, GB 34, UB 40

    He came back 1 week later saying that for the first time in months he was able to unscrew jars and lids, button his pants, and write his name.

    Because the Jing Well points really aren&#39t that "pleasant" for most people, I only did that treatment once and now am using more traditional points

    LI4/LV3 - open up flow of qi and blood throughout the whole body (yangming-jueyin)

    LI11 - drain LI channel stagnation

    ST36/SP6/KD3 - protect qi and blood

    SJ5 - open up yang wei

    GB39 - marrow influencial for nerves

    Baxie - local qi and blood circulation

    Every week he comes in able to do more activities with his hands. Hoping he&#39ll be back to normal soon.

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    comment by "Dbraun"
    on May 2014

    I would also had Master Tung;s points for peripheral neuroapthy - Five Tigers or Five Foot Tigers - For hand use 1,2 - for feet usually 3,4 - use .5 cun needles.

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