Acupuncture for Neuropathy in Alpine, WY

At Teton AIM, acupuncture for peripheral neuropathy works by identifying what's actually causing the numbness, tingling, or burning — damaged nerves from diabetes or chemotherapy, a nutritional deficiency, or a mechanical pattern compressing a nerve — and treating that, not just the sensation.

Neuropathy treatments are drug-free, non-invasive, and rooted in science.

Schedule Appointment

307-226-4404

Find out whether acupuncture is the right next step for your nneuropathy.

Teton Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine takes a root-cause approach to treating nerve pain and numbness. Dr. Melissa Franklin, DACM, evaluates nerve function, circulation, blood sugar, and the mechanical chain that can compress a nerve — and treats what's actually driving your symptoms, not just where you feel them.

Our clinic is located in Alpine, Wyoming.

Serving patients from Jackson, Star Valley, and across the region.

Not All Nerve Pain Is the Same Problem

Numbness, tingling, and burning all get filed under the same word — neuropathy — but that word describes a symptom, not a cause.

Nerve damage from years of elevated blood sugar, nerve injury from chemotherapy, a nutritional gap from long-term alcohol use, and a nerve simply being compressed by a tight muscle chain are four different problems that happen to feel similar. Treating them the same way is the real mistake, not a missed diagnosis.

These respond to treatment differently. An entrapped nerve in an otherwise healthy foot can sometimes resolve fully once the chain feeding it is corrected, while nerve damage from years of uncontrolled blood sugar or chemotherapy calls for coordinated, ongoing support rather than a fix.

Dr. Franklin's first step is always a thorough assessment of nerve function, circulation, posture, and the muscle chain above the affected area, because what's realistic depends entirely on which of these you're actually dealing with.

Schedule Your Consultation

307-226-4404

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to treating neuropathy.

Neuropathy Conditions & Causes We Treat

Peripheral neuropathy has several different underlying causes, and they don't all call for the same treatment or the same expectations. Symptoms can include numbness, tingling, burning, weakness, or trouble with balance. If your symptoms don't fit neatly into one category, that's normal — your assessment with Dr. Franklin is designed to sort that out.

Acupuncture

Dr. Franklin treats both acute and chronic nerve conditions, including:

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Burning, tingling, or numbness in the feet and hands that often starts at the toes and works upward — one of the most common complications of diabetes, and one of the most under-addressed once blood sugar looks fine on paper.

Damage that's already present doesn't reverse just because your blood sugar numbers improve — but nerve tissue does have some capacity to heal, and treatment works to support that directly: circulation, inflammation, and nerve function, alongside the blood sugar regulation you're already managing, because the two were never separate problems to begin with.

Alcohol-Related Neuropathy

Numbness, tingling, or burning pain in the feet that develops from long-term alcohol use, frequently alongside nutritional deficiencies that compound the nerve damage. This isn't a conversation about judgment — it's about what's actually happening in the nerve tissue and what can still be done for it.

Alcohol neuropathy treatment focuses on nerve function and circulation, and nutritional guidance to address deficiencies commonly part of the picture.

Mechanical Numbness & Tingling (No Underlying Disease)

A tight, restricted chain of muscle — the calves, hamstrings, glutes, and small stabilizing muscles of the feet — can compress or irritate a nerve on its own, no systemic condition involved. It shows up as a foot that goes numb on the drive over the pass, or hands that won't stop tingling after a full day of chores in the cold. It’s the same for nerve irritation lingering after a surgery.

Dr. Franklin treats what she finds the way she treats any symptom that doesn't add up: not in isolation, but as part of the chain feeding it.

Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Numbness, tingling, or a burning, glove-and-stocking sensation in the hands and feet that can start during chemotherapy and linger well after treatment ends. This kind of nerve pain doesn't always resolve on its own timeline.

We coordinate with your oncology team rather than working around them, and treatment focuses on supporting nerve function, easing symptoms, and improving circulation — never on interrupting or replacing your cancer care.

Idiopathic Peripheral Neuropathy

More often than most patients expect, a full medical workup rules out diabetes, alcohol, chemotherapy, and other known causes, and the symptoms are still there without a name for them. That diagnosis — idiopathic — is genuinely common, not a last resort, and it doesn't mean there's nothing left to address.

Assessment still looks at circulation, posture, and the muscle chain alongside nerve function, because even without a confirmed systemic cause, there's often still something driving it.

Are you ready to address the root of the problem?

Request Your Appointment

307-226-4404

Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment Teton AIM

Dr. Franklin builds every treatment plan from assessment findings, not the diagnosis alone, aimed at improving function and quality of life, not just easing a symptom.

Most treatments for peripheral neuropathy cases include a combination of the following:

Acupuncture & Electroacupuncture

Acupuncture for nerve pain works to improve circulation to the affected tissue, reduce inflammation, help modulate pain signaling pathways, and stimulate the body's natural healing process. Gentle electric stimulation can be added to enhance the effects. Over time, it may also support nerve regeneration and help improve sensation in the affected area.

Balance, Proprioception & Corrective Exercise

Neuropathy frequently affects balance and spatial awareness, so retraining communication between the vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive systems is an important part of recovery. Targeted corrective exercises and therapeutic activities improve foot and ankle mobility, enhance proprioception, increase stability, and reduce fall risk.

Lifestyle Guidance & Herbal Supplements

Blood sugar regulation, inflammation, and circulation are the lifestyle factors most connected to nerve health, and guidance here is built into your plan alongside hands-on treatment. Herbal formulas and targeted supplementation are added when they're likely to help, coordinated with any medications you're already taking.

Schedule Appointment

307-226-4404

If you've been skeptical of acupuncture and integrative medicine, Dr. Franklin’s approach is worth understanding. It's grounded in orthopedic assessment and functional neurology, not energetic theory. She assesses the whole system, explains the why, and partners with you on the plan.

What To Expect From Your Neuropathy Treatment

Healing is not linear, and nerve tissue heals slowly — but it follows a clear path when the right structures are being treated.

Here's what that looks like at Teton AIM:

Your first visit includes a thorough evaluation of nerve function, circulation, blood sugar history, and the posture and mechanical chain above the affected area. Most patients choose to begin their treatment plan the same day.

Sessions typically start at 2x per week for the first 2–3 weeks, allowing the nervous system and soft tissues to begin adapting before spacing out.

Progress is tracked at every visit, including sensation, circulation, and function, so you always know where you stand and the plan adjusts as your neck responds.

You'll leave most visits with specific homework like circulation and mobility work for the affected chain. What happens between sessions matters as much as treatments in the clinic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can acupuncture help neuropathy?

For many patients, yes. Acupuncture for neuropathy in feet can reduce pain, burning, tingling, muscle weakness, and hypersensitivity, and support circulation to nerve tissue that isn't getting enough blood flow. How much it helps comes down to what's causing it and how far along it is, which is exactly what your first assessment is for.

Can acupuncture help neuropathy in my feet?

Yes. Numbness, tingling, or burning in the feet is one of the most common presentations we see, whether it's driven by diabetes, a mechanical pattern in the chain above the foot, or an unclear cause. Acupuncture treatment for neuropathy in feet is built around what's actually driving your specific pattern, not the location alone.

Can acupuncture help diabetic neuropathy?

Acupuncture can support circulation, nerve function, and symptom relief, but it works alongside blood sugar management, not instead of it. Since diabetic neuropathy is directly tied to blood sugar control, your plan includes guidance on that front as much as it does needling.

Can acupuncture reverse nerve damage?

That depends entirely on the cause, how long it's been present, and how much damage has actually occurred. What we can say honestly: with acupuncture for nerve damage, many patients see real improvement in sensation, circulation, and function, and that's a meaningful outcome even when full reversal isn't realistic. Dr. Franklin will tell you what's actually possible for your case, not just what's hopeful.

How many sessions will I need for neuropathy?

It depends heavily on the cause and how long symptoms have been present. Nerve tissue heals slowly, so neuropathy generally takes a longer course than an acute injury — consistency matters more than speed here. Dr. Franklin will give you a realistic timeline after your first assessment rather than a generic number.

Does insurance or Medicare cover acupuncture for neuropathy?

Coverage varies by plan. Medicare's chronic-pain acupuncture coverage currently applies only to chronic low back pain, not neuropathy. Teton AIM does not bill insurance directly but can provide a superbill for you to submit for possible reimbursement. Many patients use HSA or FSA funds to cover treatment.