Neuro-Acupuncture for Spinal Cord Injury
Healing from Within: Neuro-Acupuncture’s Role in Spinal Cord Injury Recovery
A spinal cord injury can turn life upside down in the blink of an eye. One moment, everything feels familiar—and the next, you're navigating a world that looks completely different. The physical and emotional hurdles can feel overwhelming, not just for individuals but also for their families.
In Canada, more than 86,000 people are living with the effects of a spinal cord injury. Each of them has faced the same daunting question: What now?
In recent decades, we’ve made remarkable strides in understanding what happens in the body after a spinal cord injury and the potential for healing that can occur in the months and years that follow. While every person’s journey is unique, the hope of regaining function and independence is something every person affected by spinal cord injury holds onto.
Canada is home to world-class doctors and rehabilitation centers that specialize in helping people rebuild their lives after an injury. But even with exceptional care and advances in technology, recovery most often comes with daily struggles—pain, mobility challenges and issues with bladder function—that can weigh heavily on quality of life.
In China, neuro-acupuncture is considered a core part of post-injury care. With decades of clinical experience and refinement, physicians there have developed specialized acupuncture techniques to support recovery from spinal cord injuries. As access to neuro-acupuncture spreads, this approach is gaining global traction—not just for its effectiveness, but because it’s gentle on the body, has minimal side effects, and uniquely activates the nervous system’s natural capacity to heal and adapt.
Inspired by emerging research and traditional medicine, more people in Canada are discovering that neuro-acupuncture is a unique method for stimulating recovery after a spinal cord injury. It can lead to meaningful functional improvements and is especially helpful when initiated early after injury and combined with physical therapy.
Neuro-acupuncture is most helpful in contributing to healing in the following areas:
Movement
- Improving motor function, particularly when combined with exercise therapy (6)(11)
- Promoting recovery of motor neurons and nerve regeneration in the spinal cord, helping enhance movement in affected limbs (2)(4)
Sensation and Pain
- Can improve acute and chronic pain resulting from spinal cord injury. The most significant results are shown in incomplete injuries. (2)
- Improving sensation measured by increased scores on soft touch and pin prick sensation testing (4)
Bladder Function
- Stimulating recovery of neurogenic bladder dysfunction, leading to improvements in continence and volitional voiding (10)
- Reducing residual urine volume and increasing bladder capacity, as confirmed in clinical trials combining acupuncture with catheterization. (5)
Living with a spinal cord injury brings challenges that affect every corner of life, from how we move to how we feel and function day to day. But recovery is not a fixed destination; it’s a journey shaped by resilience, support, and innovation.
In Canada, while we benefit from cutting-edge medical care and rehabilitation, there’s growing recognition that healing can take many forms. Neuro-acupuncture offers a promising complement to conventional therapies, harnessing both modern neuroscience and time-honoured healing techniques to activate the body’s natural ability for repair. As awareness grows, neuro-acupuncture may help redefine what's possible for thousands of Canadians rebuilding their lives after a spinal cord injury. The future of spinal cord recovery is not only about science—it’s about giving people more choices and continually improving the limitations and outcomes for healing.
Jennifer Midlane is a neuro-acupuncturist practicing in Victoria, British Columbia. She focuses on providing care for those with neurological conditions by integrating the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine with modern scientific research.
References
1. Dragomir, M. F., Pestean, C. P., Melega, I., Danciu, C. G., Purdoiu, R. C., & Oana, L. (2021). Current aspects regarding the clinical relevance of electroacupuncture in dogs with spinal cord injury: A literature review. Animals, 11(1), 219. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010219
2. Dorsher, P. T., & McIntosh, P. M. (2011). Acupuncture's effects in treating the sequelae of acute and chronic spinal cord injuries: A review of allopathic and traditional Chinese medicine literature. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2011, 428108. https://doi.org/10.1093/ecam/nep010
3. Dyson-Hudson, T. A., Kadar, P., LaFountaine, M., Emmons, R., Kirshblum, S. C., Tulsky, D., & Komaroff, E. (2007). Acupuncture for chronic shoulder pain in persons with spinal cord injury: A small-scale clinical trial. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 88(10), 1276–1283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2007.06.014
4. Fan, Q., Cavus, O., Xiong, L., & Xia, Y. (2018). Spinal cord injury: How could acupuncture help? Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, 11(4), 124–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jams.2018.05.002
5. Frontiers in Neurology. (2022). Comparative effectiveness of different acupuncture modalities for neurogenic bladder: A network meta-analysis. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2021.723424/pdf
6. Heo, I., Shin, B. C., Kim, Y. D., Hwang, E. H., Han, C. W., & Heo, K. H. (2013). Acupuncture for spinal cord injury and its complications: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 364216. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/364216
7. Journal of Neurotrauma. (2015). The impact of acupuncture on neurological recovery in spinal cord injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis. https://pure.bond.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/32927244/AM_The_Impact_of_Acupuncture_on_Neurological_Recovery_in_Spinal_Cord_Injury.pdf
8. Mehta, S., Orenczuk, K., McIntyre, A., Willems, G., Wolfe, D. L., Hsieh, J. T., Short, C., Loh, E., & Teasell, R. W. (2013). Neuropathic pain post spinal cord injury part 1: Systematic review of physical and behavioral treatment. Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, 19(1), 61–77. https://doi.org/10.1310/sci1901-61
9. Rapson, L. M., Wells, N., Pepper, J., Majid, N., & Boon, H. (2003). Acupuncture as a promising treatment for below-level central neuropathic pain: A retrospective study. Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 26(1), 21–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/10790268.2003.11753655
10. Wong, A. M., Leong, C. P., Su, T. Y., Yu, S. W., Tsai, W. C., & Chen, C. P. (2003). Clinical trial of acupuncture for patients with spinal cord injuries. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 82(1), 21–27. https://doi.org/10.1097/00002060-200301000-00004
11. Xiong, F., Fu, C., Zhang, Q., Peng, L., Liang, Z., Chen, L., He, C., & Wei, Q. (2019). The effect of different acupuncture therapies on neurological recovery in spinal cord injury: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2019, 2371084. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/2371084
12. Yang Y, Rao C, Yin T, Wang S, Shi H, Yan X, Zhang L, Meng X, Gu W, Du Y, Hong F. Application and underlying mechanism of acupuncture for the nerve repair after peripheral nerve injury: remodeling of nerve system. Front Cell Neurosci. 2023 Oct 24;17:1253438. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1253438. PMID: 37941605; PMCID: PMC10627933.
