P. Sze 
If you have neuropathy in your feet, you’re not alone. Millions of people like us are plagued by neuropathy, a disease that causes a lot of pain and discomfort and, if left untreated, can lead to serious health issues. I have been suffering from this debilitating disease for a long time too.
To end my suffering, I was always on the lookout for natural and safe ways to treat my condition. On this quest, I came across a technique that was a type of massage for neuropathy in feet. It is supposed to relieve the awful symptoms of neuropathy in the feet.
I was at a point where I was willing to do anything to eliminate my neuropathic pain and discomfort. It all started last year when I began to feel a tingling and burning sensation in my feet. I ignored it and thought it was just something temporary due to my tight work schedule and lack of sleep, but I was wrong.
It started to progress more and more, and my fingers went numb. Sometimes it felt like they were not there. The burning in my feet also became so much intense that I couldn’t even sleep at night.
So What Is Neuropathy?
My doctor told me that neuropathy usually results from damage or malfunction of the nerves that cause pain, numbness, and the tingling and burning feeling that I was experiencing in my lower legs and feet.
He said that if I don’t treat it on time, I could also hurt or cut myself and not even know what happened due to the numbness in my feet. Basically, the nerves send out messages from our brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. If they become damaged, that message does not make it to its destination. This is what causes the weakness, numbness, unpleasant, and often painful sensations, usually in our hands and feet.
Neuropathy is different from the usual type of pain because it is not a direct result of an injury, and it is quite challenging to treat. A proper treatment approach, including a combination of medications and alternative practices such as a massage for neuropathy in feet or acupressure, has to be used.
How Can Massage Help Neuropathy In Feet?
According to experts, regular massage therapy sessions and self-care tips can drastically improve neuropathy in the feet. You can even do the massage yourself at home or get help from an expert massagist.
In my case, I have always preferred the all-natural form of treatment for all my health conditions instead of conventional treatment as it is free from side effects.
After thorough research and learning about massage for neuropathy in feet, here’s what I found:
Massage or massage therapy is a method of treatment that has been followed for generations by many cultures. It involves stroking, kneading, rubbing, or pressing the skin and muscles using the hand to stimulate the soft tissues in the body to help reduce pain, spasms, and nerve compression.
A massage for neuropathy in feet, if performed in the right manner, has a healing effect on the body and improves overall wellbeing by interacting with the nervous and muscular system. There are several types of massage, each with its advantages.
But the essential purpose of all forms of massage is to relax, restore, and heal the body. Our neurological system requires oxygen to work correctly. Massage enhances the flow of blood through the muscles, supplying oxygen to the nerves and ultimately to the brain. By increasing blood circulation in the nerves, those suffering from neuropathy notice a decrease in their symptoms.
My Experience With Acupressure For Neuropathy
Another great natural treatment that I came across was acupressure. It is a type of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used to treat many different health problems, including neuropathic pain. It is a type of massage that targets specific pressure points on the muscle area of your body that are pressed and massaged to create an all-around feeling of relaxation and provide pain relief. Acupressure in TCM is viewed in the context of the body’s overall energy flow.
I used to suffer from chronic pain, burning, and tingling in my feet. It was unbearable at most times, so I had to give acupressure a go. I learned and researched all about this technique and found out the specific pressure points that were supposed to be massaged to treat neuropathy.
Acupressure activates the same pressure points as acupuncture but incorporates finger or hand pressure rather than needles.
According to TCM, neuropathy generally occurs because of the dampness, which then moves to the extremities, where it blocks the circulation of Qi (energy) in the body. Acupressure addresses the root issue that causes this dampness to develop and specifically promotes the movement of Qi and blood in the affected region. Once the flow is stabilized, nerve tissues of the affected area may be nurtured to repair nerve damage and decrease pain.
In TCM, neuropathy is a symptom of several different types of imbalance within the body. It is supposed to treat each person differently based on what caused the neuropathy and how it appears.
Acupressure Points For Neuropathy In Feet
For neuropathy and foot massage in the feet or lower legs, we should use acupressure points that are located on the lower legs and feet. Here are some of the acupoints I found to be useful for neuropathy:
Acupoint: KD-6 (Other Names: Kidney-6/Zhao Hai/Shining Sea)
This point can be found on the medial aspect of the foot, in the depression below the tip of the medial malleolus (the prominence on the inner side of the ankle).
Acupoint: Bl-62 (Other Names: Urinary Bladder-62/Shen Mai/Extending Vessel )
This point is located on the lateral side of the foot just below the external malleolus in a depression right below the tip of the outside ankle bone. It is also one of the acupressure points for sciatica pain relief.
Acupoint: GB-30 (Other Names: Gallbladder-30/Huan Tiao/Jumping Circle)
You can find this point while lying on your side with your upper hip and knee bent, at the junction of lateral 1/3 and medial 2/3 of the line linking the prominence of the greater trochanter and the sacrococcygeal hiatus. Alternatively, you can also bend your leg as shown in the diagram above. Your heel will be touching the acupoint directly.
Acupoint: GB-34 (Other Names: Gallbladder-34/Yang Ling Quan/Yang Mound Spring)
GB34 can be found on the lateral aspect of the leg in the space below the head of the fibula.
Acupoint: GB-39 (Other Names: Gallbladder-39/Xuan Zhong/Suspended Bell)
GB39 acupuncture point location: You can easily locate this point on the lateral aspect of the lower leg, 3 cun above the tip of the external malleolus, on the anterior border of the fibula.
Acupoint: SP-6 (Other Names: Spleen-6/San Yin Jiao/Three Yin Intersection)
It can be found on the medial aspect of the lower leg, 3 cun above the medial malleolus, on the posterior border of the medial aspect of the tibia.
Stimulating these acupressure points through massage can help resolve the symptoms of neuropathy.
Foot Massage Therapy For Neuropathy
Another foot neuropathy treatment massage that I tried was the foot massage therapy. A foot massage, as the name suggests, is a type of massage that focuses solely on the feet. Foot massage therapy originated thousands of years ago in China. Since then, it has been extensively used by the Chinese to identify and cure all types of health conditions. Today, a foot massage is also commonly used for relaxation and to alleviate pain in the feet.
What Is Foot Reflexology?
I found foot reflexology to be a fascinating and useful form of treatment. According to TCM, foot reflexology has the ability to prevent and cure many health problems. Foot reflexology is based on the idea that all reflex zones start from the foot and then move through the main organs to the brain. Reflex zones are pressure points found on the tips of the hands and feet and are thought to be closely linked with the internal organs and the nervous system. As a result, multiple muscles and essential organs can be accessed by exerting pressure on different areas of the soles and sides of the feet to treat various ailments, including neuropathy.
Can Foot Massage Help Diabetic Neuropathy?
Hey, did I forget to tell you that I have diabetes as well? And like me, if you are also living with this condition, then you may also have been suffering from diabetic neuropathy. An excess of sugar in the blood is the most common cause of neuropathy or peripheral neuropathy. Sugar damages the nerve fibers all through our body, causing neuropathy in the hands or feet.
My doctor told me that my neuropathy might be related to diabetes. Foot massage for neuropathy in feet helped me a lot and improved my blood circulation, reduced inflammation, and pain while providing relief. During a massage, the brain releases endorphins (neurotransmitters), which flow through the body, instantly improving our mood. Diabetic neuropathy can negatively impact our mental and physical wellbeing, but it can be prevented and controlled by foot therapy.
Some Of The Foot Massagers I Tried For My Neuropathy (And It Really Helps!)
I tried and tested some foot massagers to find the best one that could relieve my neuropathy. Every foot massager, I tried had something different and better to offer. Due to their excellent results, they have become an integral part of my daily routine.
Here are some of the foot massagers I tried and found to be useful:
Naipo Foot Massager with Heat
I liked this foot massager, and it did offer some relief to my neuropathic pain. It is equipped with 18 deep-kneading nodes that target the acupoints on the feet to stimulate blood flow and relieve stress. You can buy this great foot massager here.
Miko Shiatsu Foot Massager with Deep-Kneading
This Shiatsu foot massager has 2 independent foot chambers and 5 air pressure settings. It is easy to use and helped alleviate the burning in my feet. Get this massager here.
Miko Foot Massager Machine with Acupressure Technology
This is the one I found to be the most useful. It comes with acupressure nodes that target the specific acupoints on foot to relieve the symptoms of neuropathy. You can order from Amazon here.
Conclusion
Like me, if you want to try a safer and natural method that works, then you should definitely try a massage for neuropathy in feet as it helped me a lot in easing my neuropathy symptoms.
Related Reading
- 15 Unexpected Ways Foot Massage Ball Benefits Can Make Your Life Better
- You Will Never Thought That Knowing Foot Pressure Points Diagram Could Be So Beneficial For Your Health!
