Acupuncture for Cancer Care
Cancer. Unfortunately, it’s a diagnosis that no one wants to hear. As a consequence, it can leave you feeling frightened, uncertain, and powerless. But, if you or a loved one is facing cancer it’s important to have hope. In many cases, cancer can be cured especially with early detection. There are more treatments available now than ever before to cure cancer or slow it from spreading, relieve its symptoms, and help you live a healthier life. Equally important, How can acupuncture help with cancer care?
It’s also important to know that you have options in addition to standard medical therapies. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine has been used for thousands of years to treat a wide variety of conditions. In fact, with a qualified professional it can naturally support your body and mind as you undergo conventional cancer treatments.
Understanding treatments and their side effect
Cancer is an overall term for a group of diseases that occur when cells begin to reproduce abnormally, eventually damaging or killing healthy tissue. For example, most cancers are named according to where they begin in the body. Overall, there are more than 100 different types of cancer. Indeed, common cancers include breast cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer.
Treatment plans are based on many factors, including the type and stage (how far it has spread) of the cancer and your overall health. Cancer treatments are proven effective. However, there are serious side effects to take into account. Conventional treatments include:
- Surgery: removes the cancer if possible.
- Chemotherapy: is the use of medications to destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy generally lasts from 3 to 9 months. Importantly, it can have side effects including fatigue, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, early menopause, and hot flashes.
- Radiation therapy: is the use of high doses of radiation to destroy cancer cells. Importantly, the side effects generally include fatigue, hair loss, and skin darkening at the treatment site.
- Biological therapy: boosts the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells. Treatment ramifications include rashes, swelling, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, nausea, and loss of appetite.
How acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine can help
Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine have been used for thousands of years to maintain health. For example, practitioners use acupuncture to reduce pain, swelling, and poor circulation. Also, Chinese Herbal Medicine focuses on complimenting acupuncture treatments like a copilot supports a pilot.
It is important to remember that acupuncture is not a quick fix.
Since acupuncture has few side effects, it can be safely added as a complement to conventional cancer treatments. In fact, in many cancer cases it’s helpful a way to soothe and reduce side effects from treatments. According to the National Institutes of Health, acupuncture has been found to be effective in relieving:
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Post-surgical pain
Treatments can also help relieve stress, depression, and anxiety, which can greatly improve your quality of life during this challenging time.
Practitioners take a whole-body approach to cancer care. In short, this means your symptoms be considered. Also, your lifestyle, emotional state, and overall health will be taken into account. Your whole wellbeing will be taken into account, not just the cancer. When you work with your practitioner to improve your health and relieve your side effects, you are not only helping yourself get the most from conventional treatments, you’re taking back the control of your own life.
Resources
NIH Consensus Conference. Acupuncture. JAMA 280 (17): 1518-24, 1998.
