Can Acupuncture Help Relieve Side Effects of Cancer Treatment?
Thanks to amazing advances in medical science, doctors today are able to diagnose and treat many types of cancers more effectively than ever before in history. Yet despite those advances, cancer treatment continues to be difficult for most patients; indeed, some patients complain that the treatment is worse than the disease. Unfortunately, the powerful drugs—taken together as chemotherapy—and radiation therapy required to kill the cancer also wreak havoc on the body’s healthy cells, causing significant and even debilitating side effects during and after treatment.
Today, cancer patients and oncologists are increasingly turning to the ancient Chinese medical practice of acupuncture to help relieve some of the most common side effects of cancer treatment. While modern researchers continue to question exactly “why” and exactly “how” acupuncture works, a variety of scientific studies over the past decade clearly indicate that this ancient practice provides real and verifiable relief from nausea and vomiting, pain, and fatigue, for example, as well as a general improvement in depression, stress, and overall mood. For patients who have experienced the numerous benefits of this ancient practice, acupuncture has played a vital role in their fight against cancer.
Benefits of Acupuncture During Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy
The goal of acupuncture is to help the body, through the gentle and careful stimulation of specific acupuncture points, restore a natural balance (homeostasis) that has been undermined by disease (such as cancer). In essence, acupuncture enhances the body’s natural ability to cope with the traumatic impact of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. While this may sound somewhat unscientific to some people, in fact, the benefits of acupuncture are both concrete and measurable.
- Nausea and vomiting: One of the most common and most unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy is nausea and frequent vomiting. Studies by the National Cancer Institute have shown that acupuncture can significantly reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea. Generally speaking, receiving an acupuncture treatment the day before chemo is the most effective way to offset the nausea and vomiting associated with chemo.
- Pain management: Unfortunately, pain is another common and often debilitating aspect of cancer and its treatment; pain can stem from the cancer itself, from surgeries required to treat the disease, or from nerves damaged by chemotherapy and radiation (neuropathy). While acupuncture may not totally replace the need for pain medication, it may significantly reduce the amount of medications required. Moreover, by improving circulation, acupuncture may help regenerate damaged nerves and heal scar tissue.
- Fatigue: Several recent studies have shown that acupuncture can provide significant improvement for patients suffering from fatigue related to cancer and/or cancer treatment. Acupuncture has also been shown to improve quality of sleep generally, which can also contribute to combatting cancer-related fatigue.
- Depression, anxiety, and stress: In general, restoring the body’s natural balance through acupuncture can help reduce feelings of depression and anxiety and improve the ability to cope with stress. This is especially true for patients who are undergoing treatment for cancer: many patients who utilize acupuncture during treatment report feeling less worried and less anxious, and generally calmer and more emotionally stable.
Acupuncture cannot cure cancer. But it can help make the cancer journey more bearable by helping to relieve some of the worst side effects of cancer treatment. Our goal is to work in conjunction with your oncology team to determine the safest and most effective method of incorporating acupuncture into your cancer treatment.
For more information about how acupuncture and other treatments can help you, please contact the Urban Acupuncture Center Board Certified Licensed Acupuncturist’s team at Indianola Ave, Clintonville (614) 725-2488 | Main St, Westerville (614) 426-4406 or click here. Taking new patients in and around greater Columbus, Ohio.