Chronic pain, CRPS and neuropathy
For persistent neuropathic pain, an intensive combined programme may be relevant when medication, conventional pain care and rehabilitation have produced insufficient results. In China, conventional pain techniques are often combined with specialised forms of acupuncture and daily rehabilitation.
Evidence status: Selected indications; integrated approachWhat is the medical problem?
Chronic neuropathic pain, CRPS, postherpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy and nerve pain after cancer treatment can be severely disabling. Many patients use multiple medicines without achieving sufficient functional recovery.
What could a treatment pathway look like?
The programme begins by reassessing the pain mechanism: nociceptive, neuropathic, centrally sensitised or mixed. A treatment plan is then created with measurable goals for pain, mobility, sleep, daily activity and medication use.
What do we know about effectiveness?
There is established evidence for conventional pain rehabilitation and certain interventional techniques. Acupuncture has reasonable support for some chronic pain indications, but the strength of evidence varies considerably by diagnosis. For CRPS and specific fire-needle protocols, further high-quality research is needed before superiority can be claimed.
Important selection considerations
The goal is not only to reduce pain scores, but above all to improve function. Opioids, antidepressants, anti-epileptic medicines and other pain medication should only be adjusted under medical supervision.
Medical selection before travel
The options described are not a guarantee of treatment. Availability and suitability depend on diagnosis, indication, evidence level, individual risks and assessment by the treating medical team. Experimental care is identified as such.
Would you like to know whether a pathway could be medically appropriate?
A treatment journey always begins with an assessment of the diagnosis, medical history, previous treatments, medication, risks and the specific treatment objective.