Theodore Levarda

It depends on the case - the nerves involved and the degree of damage. An acupuncturist would be better able to assess in person. In general, acupuncture can help with neuropathy. For example, one study showed that acupuncture helped nerve conduction in peripheral neuropathy (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17355547).

Yes - acupuncture can help hip pain. There are many types of hip pain. It is important to rule out any serious hip conditions via imaging like x-ray and MRI. In many cases those will come up clean and the hip pain will be due to muscular tightness. There are many muscles that attach to the hip and the ones that are involved depend on where the pain is. For example sciatica can be caused by tightness in the piriformis (if the pain travels down the back of the leg) or the gluteus minimus (if the pain travels down the side of the leg). My approach to hip pain due to muscle tightness involves using a combination of traditional acupuncture points as well as incorporating trigger point release in any muscles that are involved. I generally look for knots or trigger points in the low back, gluteal, hip rotator, hamstring, and quadriceps muscles since they all attach somewhere in the hip. Releasing any tension or trigger points in these muscles will help reduce hip pain and increase range of motion because they all attach into the hip area. When a muscle is tight it pulls on the attaching structures which can result in pain and restricted range of motion.

Yes - acupuncture can help frozen shoulder and chronic shoulder pain. I commonly see very tight shoulder muscles in frozen shoulder patients. This can include any of the muscles that attach to the shoulder. My approach to this condition involves using a combination of traditional acupuncture points as well as incorporating trigger point release in any muscles that are involved. I generally look for knots or trigger points in the following muscles: infraspinatus, deltoid, scalene, supraspinatus, pectoralis major/minor, biceps, corachobrachialis, and latissimus dorsi. Releasing any tension in these muscles will help reduce shoulder pain and increase range of motion because they all attach into the shoulder area. When a muscle is tight it pulls on the attaching structures which can result in pain and restricted range of motion.