Massage and Neuropathy
Support for nerves, movement, and daily function
Neuropathy can make even simple activities feel harder than they should. Burning, tingling, numbness, weakness, and changes in balance slowly change the way you move through your day. Many people are told to live with it, yet supportive care can make a meaningful difference in comfort, mobility, and confidence.
Massage therapy does not reverse nerve damage, but it works with the muscles, fascia, circulation, and nervous system that are deeply affected by neuropathy. Addressing these secondary changes is one way we help you move with less strain and feel more at home in your body.
What is neuropathy
Neuropathy means nerve dysfunction. It can affect sensory nerves, motor nerves, or both. Common causes include:
Diabetes
Chemotherapy or radiation
Autoimmune conditions
Vitamin deficiencies
Spine or disc conditions
Systemic chemical exposures
Injuries or surgeries involving nerves
Symptoms may appear as:
Burning, tingling, pins and needles, or electric sensations
Numbness or a thick sock feeling
Sharp or shooting pain
Muscle weakness or heaviness
Balance or coordination changes
Massage does not treat the nerve damage itself. It addresses the muscular, circulatory, and mechanical stress patterns caused by neuropathy so your body functions better with the goal of slowing physical decline. 
Clinical mechanisms by which massage supports neuropathy
Soft tissue tension, guarding, and compensation
When nerves are irritated, surrounding muscles tighten to stabilize the body. This leads to restricted joint motion, trigger points, and altered gait. Massage reduces hypertonicity, releases fascial restrictions, and supports smoother movement.
Circulation and lymphatic support
Neuropathy often includes impaired microcirculation. Massage encourages venous return, supports lymphatic flow, and improves nutrient delivery to tissues to help reduce discomfort, swelling, and heaviness in the legs and feet.
Nervous system modulation
Chronic neuropathic pain keeps the nervous system on high alert. Massage supports a shift toward parasympathetic activity, reducing pain-related tension, lowering stress responses, and improving sleep quality.
Proprioception, body awareness, and functional mobility
Changes in sensation affect balance and movement confidence. Massage provides gentle sensory input, supports awareness of limb position, reduces over-bracing, and improves daily movement.
Support for massage therapy for neuropathy
Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathy Study (SAGE Journals)
A retrospective cohort study found that a single massage session produced a statistically significant reduction in both pain and neuropathy severity for patients with chemotherapy-induced neuropathy (average pain reduction ≈ 1.6 points; neuropathy reduction ≈ 1.2 on a 0–10 scale).
AMTA Protocol Recommendations
A published protocol outlines the role of weekly 60-minute sessions as part of long-term support in neuropathy management, highlighting the importance of consistency and follow-through.
NCCIH Summary on Massage
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reports that massage shows promising evidence in reducing pain, improving circulation, and supporting soft tissue recovery—mechanisms highly relevant to neuropathy.
Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy
Their clinical guidance recognizes massage as a complementary approach that supports circulation, reduces muscular guarding, and improves mobility for people living with neuropathy.
These findings support massage therapy as a reasonable, conservative intervention for improving comfort, movement, and function in people with neuropathy.
Lung disease and neuropathy
How breathing conditions impact nerves, movement, and daily function
Many people with chronic lung disease are surprised to learn that their breathing condition can contribute to neuropathy or make existing neuropathy symptoms more noticeable. Lung disease does not directly damage nerves. Instead, it creates system-wide changes that place stress on the nervous system, circulation, and soft tissues.
Reduced oxygen levels
Chronic lung disease reduces oxygen available to tissues. Peripheral nerves are sensitive to oxygen, and low levels can contribute to numbness, slower signaling, and increased vulnerability to discomfort.
Chronic inflammation
Lung conditions that involve inflammation, including COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, berylliosis, and pneumoconiosis, can irritate small nerve fibers and increase muscular tension.
Breathing mechanics
Difficulty breathing leads to reliance on accessory breathing muscles, rib stiffness, postural changes, and low-back or hip tension. These changes can compress nerve pathways or contribute to neuropathic sensations.
Circulation and activity changes
Breathing difficulty often limits activity. Less movement can cause reduced circulation in the feet and legs, more swelling, and stiffer joints. All of these increase the risk of neuropathic symptoms.
Medication effects
Some lung-related medications have side effects that include nerve irritation in a small percentage of people.
Coexisting conditions
People with lung disease often have additional risk factors such as diabetes, nutritional deficiencies, autoimmune conditions, or past chemical exposure.
Why this matters for massage
Massage supports the secondary changes caused by both neuropathy and chronic lung disease. This includes reducing tension in breathing muscles, improving circulation, softening compensations in the spine and hips, and supporting better movement.
Massage does not treat the lung disease or the nerve damage. It supports the muscular and mechanical consequences of these conditions.
Why your provider may recommend massage therapy
Massage therapy is recommended when neuropathy causes burning, tingling, numbness, weakness, tightness, gait changes, reduced walking tolerance, difficulty with daily activities, or a gradual decline in mobility. Massage supports function, reduces strain, improves daily movement, and helps you stay as active and comfortable as possible.
The bottom line
Massage cannot reverse neuropathy, but it relieves muscle tension, improves circulation, supports movement, and eases daily discomfort caused by neuropathy.