There is a frequently asked question by patients who undergoing cancer treatment: How acupuncture can help me as cancer patient?

alternative cancer treatment Many scientific studies have looked at the use of acupuncture. There is no evidence that acupuncture helps in cure for cancer. However, acupuncture has received many attentions as an adjunctive therapy in cancer treatments for its use in anesthesia, in post-operative pain control, and in aiding and hastening recovery from the chemotherapy side effects.

Acupuncture has been practiced in traditional Chinese medicine for over 5,000 years. It involves the insertion of very thin needles into specific points on the body. These points are located along invisible lines known as “meridians”.

Each of which meridian is believed to be linked to a different organ system. By stimulating these points, acupuncturists aim to unblock the flow of vital energy (called “qi”) through the meridians as blockages in this flow are thought to cause ill health.

The main areas of research into acupuncture for cancer are cancer-related pain and side effects cause by chemotherapy. In a 2003 study, researchers found that undergoing acupuncture helped reduce the intensity of cancer pain among 90 patients for whom pain-reducing medication was not sufficient.

Several types of clinical trials using different acupuncture methods showed acupuncture reduced nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. In a report published in 2005, researchers reviewed 11 clinical trials and found that acupressure helped lessen the severity of post-chemotherapy nausea.

Clinical trials also showed that acupuncture improved cancer patients’ immune system response, including increasing the number of white blood cells. A strict clean needle method must be used when acupuncture treatment is given to patients who are undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy which weaken the body’s immune system.

The answer to the opening question “how acupuncture can help me as cancer patient?” is, acupuncture can be used to address many of the concerns that come up during and after chemotherapy and radiation. Unfortunately, it may cause local internal bleeding, nerve damage, or bruising around the punctured point.

Although it is very rarely acupuncture can have a serious side effect, it is strongest recommended to seek for your doctor’s advise before using acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy in cancer treatments.

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