Acupuncture for Cancer Patients
From allergies to chronic pain, acupuncture is one of the oldest medical procedures in the world that could help treat many symptoms. It’s safe and effective, with few risks or side effects when performed by a qualified practitioner.
Can acupuncture help when you have cancer?
There is no evidence to show that acupuncture can help treat or cure cancer. But it could help relieve some cancer symptoms and side effects from treatment.
Recent advances in acupuncture clinical research suggest that acupuncture may provide clinical benefit for cancer patients with treatment-related side effects like nausea and vomiting, post-operative pain, cancer-related pain, chemotherapy-induced low white blood cell count (leukopenia), postchemotherapy fatigue, dry mouth, or xerostomia, insomnia, anxiety, and quality of life.
Strengths
One of the strengths of acupuncture is that it works on several fronts, as:
Pain.
Acupuncture could help whether your pain is from chemo, hormone therapy, radiation, or surgery. Patients with cancer who receive acupuncture treatments as an adjunct to drug therapy tend to have less pain than those who only use medication. Cancer survivors who have chronic post-treatment pain can benefit from acupuncture, too.
Nausea and Vomiting.
Acupuncture could relieve post-operation and post-chemo nausea and vomiting. Self-acupressure treatment could help too. Ask your acupuncturist. There are acupressure points patients can use on themselves when nausea starts to set in.
Dry mouth.
Xerostomia or dry mouth can come with radiation treatment for head and neck cancer. Research shows that after four weeks of acupuncture treatment, survivors had less pain and improved dry mouth symptoms.
Menopause symptoms.
Hot flashes and other menopause symptoms could come with cancer. Estrogen therapy is the most common treatment for these symptoms. However, it’s not a good option for survivors who have had breast cancer that is hormone receptor-positive; cancer treated with hormone therapy drugs that lower estrogen levels or block estrogen receptors. Acupuncture treatment is effective in relieving menopause symptoms with fewer side effects.
Anxiety and depression.
These symptoms are common when you have a cancer diagnosis. Researchers found that electroacupuncture, a type of acupuncture that uses a mild electric current transmitted through the needles, was just as effective as fluoxetine (Prozac) in easing depression. Acupuncture could work with other types of treatment to help ease symptoms.
And more.
Some people use acupuncture to find relief for fatigue, low appetite, and other side effects of cancer and cancer treatment.
Acupuncture by Ryutaro Tsukata from pexels.com
Things to consider for cancer patients who want to try acupuncture:
Find the right acupuncturist.
Find an acupuncturist who understands the ins and outs of cancer treatment. Many acupuncturists have done training specific to the needs of cancer patients. A trained practitioner can make visits pleasant and more effective.
Eat two hours before the treatment.
A good guideline is to eat about two hours before an acupuncture treatment. Everyone metabolizes food at different rates, so adjust as you see fit. Do not go for acupuncture treatment on an empty stomach. You don’t want to be distracted by hunger. You don’t want to show up full either, after having eaten something heavy, fried, or spicy.
Set yourself up for calm.
Needles and coffee should not mix. Research shows that ingesting even a low dose of caffeine blocks the analgesic effects of acupuncture in acute and chronic pain treatment. Caffeine increases your body’s fight-or-flight response, something which acupuncture seeks to lessen. Do not take caffeine for at least two hours before your acupuncture treatment.
Communicate with your acupuncturist.
Talking helps. Communicate your worries and fears to your acupuncturist. Tell your acupuncturist what you’re hoping to get out of the treatment. You may want to talk about what your cancer treatment has been like for you.
A Good Option
Acupuncture is a good option for anyone who wants to complement their regular care plan with another treatment method. It can sometimes be a little intimidating to a newcomer.
The thought of needles puncturing one’s skin is often scary for most people. The needles used are about the width of a human hair, thinner than any needles most people have encountered. The sensation felt is very minimal. Most people find the treatment relaxing.
Acupuncture treatment could be different for every person. Talk to your doctor about it — they can help you decide if acupuncture is right for you.
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