Acupuncture in Cancer treatments

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is one of the key components of the system of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Acupuncture utilizes hair thin, extremely fine, sterile, disposable needles to treat widely ranged illnesses. Acupuncture also uses to prevent disease, or promotes general health. In TCM theory, it is essential for qi, as well as blood to circulate in a continuous and unobstructed manner for good health of the mind and body. Acupuncture meridians are the pathways through which the energy flows throughout the body. Acupuncture treats or prevents diseases by balancing body’s Qi and making Qi flow smoothly. In western scientific theory, we do not fully understand acupuncture treatment yet. However, there are research evidences show that acupuncture spurs both of local tissues and brain to release some chemicals that related with illnesses. For more information, please check my website: www.bestacuherb.com.

Can Acupuncture help cancer patients?

Yes!
My first cancer patient was one of my professors from medical school. He had lung cancer and cancer cells already transfered to bone when the time he came for acupuncture treatment. The time was 1999. Most cases coming for acupuncture treatment under my care 5 years ago were at a late stage in their disease, and usually in despair. Most of them were in very bad shape. All I could do for them were only a symptomatic relief, not a cure.

Fortunately, recent years, more and more cancer patients have been appearing in the acupuncture clinic. Some of them are in the early stage of their disease. Most of them came right after chemo-or radiation-therapy. Some of them even came right after their diagnosis. Most of them are in the good shape. As acupuncturist, I have a better chance to make a treatment plan for those patients. I started treatment with balancing their body’s Yin and Yang, boosting Qi and making free-flow of Qi and Blood; and helping them going through surgery, and during chemo- and/or radiolation therapy taking care the pain, nausea, vomiting, faguite, stress, anxiety and so on. So, they have chances of recovery are significantly higher than those of the average cancer patient. With acupuncture treatment they suffered less symptoms from cancer itself and from drug side effect. They enjoyed a quality of life.

What do you expect for first visit as cancer patients?

The typical office visit starts with medical evaluation. I like patients to bring all the information they have from their doctor office: films, lab test, a list of drugs, treatment plan..... After fully understanding patient’s medical canditions, I will spent enought time to talk with patient to understand what their mental and physical suffers. Finally, evaluate patient through Chinese medicine view. The most important thing to do in the first visit is that making diaganosis according to Chinese medicie therory and deciding TCM theatment plan.

The services we provide to cancer patients’ treatment:

• Body Acupuncture treatment

  Body Acupuncture, among the oldest healing practices in the world, is part of traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture is generally considered safe when performed correctly and properly. Acupuncture regulates the flow of Qi along pathway known as meridians.

• Moxabustion treatment

  Moxibustion is a form of fire heat treatment that stimulates specific acupuncture points of the body. Moxa warm regions and acupuncture points with the intention of stimulating circulation through the points and inducing a smoother flow of Blood and Qi.

• Guasha treatment

  Guasha is another healing technique used in acupuncture treatment over thousands of years. It involves palpation and cutaneous stimulation where the skin is pressured, in strokes, by a round-edged instrument; that result in the appearance of small red petechia called “sha”, that will fade in 2 or 3 days. Gua sha removes blood stagnation considered pathogenic, promoting normal circulation and metabolic processes.

• Cupping treatment

  Cupping therapy relies upon creating a local suction to mobilise blood flow in order to promote healing. Cupping is a method of applying acupressure by creating a vaccum on the patients’ skin to dispel stagnation-stagnant blood and lymph, thereby improving Qi flow. Cupping is used to treat a broad range of medical conditions, including anemia and pain.

• Auricular Acupuncture treatment

  Auricular Acupuncture, chinese auriculotherapy, bases on the idea that the ear is a microsystem with the entire body represented on the auricle. Ailments of the entire body are assumed to be treatable by stimulation of the surface of the ear exclusively. Auriculotherapy method originally started in China, and developed by the French neurologist Paul Nogier in 1957.

• Acupressure treatment

  Acupressure balances the body’s energy by applying pressure to specific points along energy channels known as meridians. Acupressure uses the same theory as acupuncture does.

How does Acupuncture help cancer patients?

Overall evidences, Acupuncture treatment may ingage the body’s immune function; manage the symptoms from cancer itself; release chemo- and radiation –induced toxicities; improve quality of life with cancer.

• Acupuncture enhances the body immune function

Acupuncture already use to treat most of immune diseases for years, include inappropriate immune responses-allergies, asthma; immunodeficiency diseases- B cells low; autoimmune diseases-rheumotoid arthritis, and so on.

There are number of clinic research papers show that Acupuncture boosts the body’s immune function by increasing in leukocyte, regulating T-lymphocytes.

• Acupuncture relieves pain

Acupuncture can treat the pain resulting from the cancer itself, and the pain from nerves damage due to chemo or radiation theory. An effort of acupuncture to relieve pain is wide known. Clinic trials shows that acupuncture can treat a wider range of pain conditions, such as postoperative pain, sports’ related pains, back pain, headache, tooth itching, menstrual cramps, joints pain, kidney stone, ......

Scientific evidence from Laboratory research shows several hypothesis for how acupuncture relieves pain. 1. The needles stimulates pain-sensing nerves, which trigger the brain to release opiumlike compounds calls endorphoins that circulate in the body. 2. Inserting needles spur local tissue releasing a compound called adenosine that acts as a local pain reliever. 3. Acupuncture treatment lowers the activity in a pain-sensing area of the brain known as the anterior cingulate cortex.

• Acupuncture treats Nausea/Vomiting

Acupuncture works great for postoperative nausea and vomiting. Acupuncture points stimulation also woks for pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting. It is same as acupuncture treating pain that acupuncture can treat nausea/ vomiting resulting from cancer itself or surgery or drugs’ side effects.

A possible mechanism of action is that acupuncture facilitates 5-HT release in the brain, which then activates the descending inhibitory fibers which interferes with 5-HT release in the spinal cord. Another hypothesis is that after acupuncture, the nerve system is activated and signals the brain to release certain chemicals known as neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine or endorphins. these block the other chemicals that cause the sickness, nausea and vomiting.

• Acupuncture treats fatigue, enhance the quality of life

Blockages or weakness of energy flows in the body have been recognized as the cause of fatigue. Restoring the natural flow of Qi returns the body to harmony and positive results occur. Acupuncture can help to return the flow. So this condition can be successfully treated with acupuncture. At meantime acupuncture effectively treats the various symptoms associated with fatigue and can strengthen a weakened immune system, enhance vital energy, nourish blood, and increase lymph circulation.

• Acupuncture manages stress, anxiety and depression

Acupuncture can provide a safe and effective tool for stress. Patients usually begin to feel more energetic after his or her first acupuncture treatment. Stress cause body to releases chemicals into the blood. Those chemicals fast heart beat and breath rate, rise blood pressure and increase muscle tension. Acupuncture encourages relaxation by loosening tight muscles. Acupuncture also has a relaxation response with decreased heart rate, lowered BP, stress reduction and increased energy and tissue regeneration. Acupuncture is so useful in the treatment of stress, anxiety and depression.

• Insomnia

Insomnia is a common condition which acupuncture can have a profound effect on treating. Acupuncture has a calming effect on the nervous system. It clears obstructions in the muscle and nerve, easy the flow of energy and relaxes the system. Common noted benefits of acupuncture include deeper breathing, improved digestive abilities, better sleeping patterns, decrease in various pains and a general sense of well being, which are all excellent treatments for insomnia.

• Acupuncture treat vasomotor symptoms

Studies have reported that acupuncture is effective in reducing vasomotor symptoms among postmenopausal woman with breast cancer and prostate cancer patients on androgendeprivation therapy.

Are there side effects of acupuncture?

Usually not. Acupuncture is a safe method of encouraging the body to promote natural healing and improve function. Done properly, acupuncture rarely causes serious side effects.

Is there anything I can do at home for my kid to easy his or her symptoms during or after camo- or radiation- treatment?

Yes, Acupressure for nausea, vomiting, headache.