Acupuncture treatment improves nerve conduction in peripheral neuropathy

  1. S. Schröder1,2,
  2. J. Liepert3,4,
  3. A. Remppis1,5,†,
  4. J. H. Greten1,6,†

Article first published online: 23 JAN 2007

DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2006.01632.x

Issue

European Journal of Neurology

European Journal of Neurology

Volume 14, Issue 3, pages 276–281, March 2007

Additional Information

How to Cite

Schröder, S., Liepert, J., Remppis, A. and Greten, J. H. (2007), Acupuncture treatment improves nerve conduction in peripheral neuropathy. European Journal of Neurology, 14: 276–281. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2006.01632.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Heidelberg School of Chinese Medicine, Heidelberg, Germany

  2. 2

    Praxis für Neurologie und TCM Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

  3. 3

    Neurologische Klinik, Universitätskrankenhaus Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

  4. 4

    Kliniken Schmieder, Allensbach, Germany

  5. 5

    Innere Medizin III, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

  6. 6

    Department of Neurophysiology, Instituto di Ciencas Biomedicas Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

  1. †

    These authors contributed equally.

*Dr Sven Schröder, Jarrestraße 42, 22303 Hamburg, Germany (tel.: +49 40 27075901; fax: +49 40 27075905; e-mail: dr.schroeder@praxis-jarrestadt.de).

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 23 FEB 2007
  2. Article first published online: 23 JAN 2007
  3. Received 27 December 2005 Accepted 9 August 2006

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Keywords:

  • Acupuncture;
  • Chinese Medicine;
  • nerve conduction studies;
  • neuropathy

The etiology of peripheral neuropathy (PN) often remains elusive resulting in a lack of objective therapeutic strategies. We conducted a pilot study to evaluate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on PN as measured by changes in nerve conduction and assessment of subjective symptoms. One hundred and ninety-two consecutive patients with PN as diagnosed by nerve conduction studies (NCS) were evaluated over a period of 1 year. Of 47 patients who met the criteria for PN of undefined etiology, 21 patients received acupuncture therapy according to classical Chinese Medicine as defined by the Heidelberg Model, while 26 patients received the best medical care but no specific treatment for PN. Sixteen patients (76%) in the acupuncture group improved symptomatically and objectively as measured by NCS, while only four patients in the control group (15%) did so. Three patients in the acupuncture group (14%) showed no change and two patients an aggravation (10%), whereas in the control group seven showed no change (27%) and 15 an aggravation (58%). Importantly, subjective improvement was fully correlated with improvement in NCS in both groups. The data suggest that there is a positive effect of acupuncture on PN of undefined etiology as measured by objective parameters.

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