Neuropathy and nerve sensitivity from acupuncture?

My response to these types of questions is often quite similar - in general I really dislike hearing these types of stories. This whole idea of needling deeper and/or confusing muscle/nerve pain with the infamous de qi (or coming/moving of "qi") sensation is very problematic. There are some practitioners who far too strongly feel that this type of sensation (which can be pain/damage) is crucial to the treatment and it&#39s just not true.

My answer then generally is the same (find another acupuncturist), but I&#39ll break yours out a little bit for you in direct response to your questions:

Furthermore, acupuncture can be very powerful and should not be treated lightly. Do you think the needles were too deep?

Not necessarily, but one or a few may have been too deep and/or stimulated too strongly.

Left in too long (1h1/2), overstimualted my central nervous system, too powerful for me?

I think that is just wrong, I can think of no clinical reason in any case to ever leave needles in that long. It didn&#39t necessarily overstimulate you - because that implies that an inserted needle is always active and a non-inserted needle is not active - which is not true. But if they were too deep and you were uncomfortable and/or the practitioner would come in and continue to stimulate/manipulate the needles then they could have been causing more damage.

Am I too sensitive? Also will this ever subside permanently?

No you are not too sensitive. A good practitioner can -always- adjust the treatment to what is appropriate to the patient. A mediocre practitioner more often than not does essentially the same thing to each patient which is where problems like this come from. As for permanence, no the sensations are extremely unlikely to be permanent, but they may require proper treatment to resolve quicker - again from a different practitioner. Ideally your new practitioner, should you choose to go that route, would also practice tuina (Chinese Medical Massage) and not do strong needle manipulations.

Hi Chad,

Thank you so much for responding. I really appreciate your feedback and you have given me some clarity. I tried expressing all this to the acupuncturist but felt she wasnt taking my feelings seriously and was quite dismissive towards me. In any case I want to say that I believe so much the benefits of acupuncture and how it can help on so many different levels if done by a good practitioner as you had mentioned. I am not dismissing acupuncture, just want people to go to someone who knows exactly what they are doing. I hope my patience will persevere and that all this subsides sooner rather than later. Its almost as though my whole CNS is pulsating and inflammed. I will write back with an update when I am feeling better so that anybody else reading this and perhaps going through something similar can have a better idea.

Thanks again.

To all those people who have gone through or are going through peripheral nerve injury as a result of acupuncture... It can happen even though most acupuncturists dont want to admit it. It CAN happen and is a serious side effect. I am still suffering 3 months later as a result. Have started IV B complex and alpha lipoic acid to help heal my nerves faster. People didnt believe me that it was from acupuncture but it is and I DO NOT have an underlying issue. I am and was a healthy 32 year old young mom and went to an acupuncturist who obviously went too deep and didnt know that they were doing. This is real and a serious side effect that ALL acupuncturists should be wary of and warn their patients of.

"When we work on points along meridians that run just over nerve structures, we must familiarize ourselves with these structures and always bear in mind the locations and depths of nearby nerves when preparing to insert needles. Excessive depth of needling is the major cause of peripheral nerve damage, so if you are absolutely sure of the depth of the nerve trunk or branch, check before you treat. Its better to place a needle slightly too shallow than too deep"