Acupuncture and Cancer Care
According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2016 alone, there will have been over 1.6 million new cases of cancer diagnosed in the United States, and nearly 600,000 will die from this disease. Cancer has a huge impact on society, and traditional medical treatments for cancer often leave patients suffering from a variety of side effects, such as:
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nausea, vomiting and appetite loss
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pain
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nerve problems and neuropathy
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depression and/or anxiety
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fatigue and anemia
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temperature intolerance (hot flashes, sweats, etc.)
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sleep disturabances
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GI issues (constipation, diarrhea, etc.)
Acupuncture can be a safe and effective way to help manage these side effects, and improve the quality of life of an individual undergoing treatment, chemotherapy, surgery, etc. Lab and animal studies suggest acupuncture may even be helpful in boosting the immune system during chemotherapy. Acupuncture may have a wide variety of physical effects on the body, including causing it to release certain proteins, hormones, and brain chemicals that can affects various systems throughout the body, including boosting the body's natural pain killers, endorphins.
Acupuncture for cancer care should always be done by a licensed acupuncturist. Disposable, stainless steel needles are used, and often additional techniques, such as cupping, electroacupuncture, acupressure, moxibustion, etc., are used to gain a desirable response and outcome from patient care.
Looking for more information on acupuncture and cancer care? Please feel free to call and speak to one of our acupuncturists at 651-232-6830. You can also visit the National Cancer Institute's website at www.cancer.gov to learn even more.