Oncology Acupuncture

Acupuncture as a palliative therapy to patients with advanced cancer has been shown to significantly decrease symptom severity for fatigue, pain and insomnia — helping with an overall quality of life. A number of high-profile cancer centers in the U.S. — including Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston — are integrating acupuncture into cancer care regularly. DuPage Acupuncture Clinic also offers acupuncture treatment for cancer patients.

Acupuncture can be used to treat and help manage chronic health conditions including pain management for people with cancer receiving chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery. The adjunct protocols are found to ease many common side effects after cancer treatment, such as hot flashes, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, and xerostomia (dry mouth).

More and more research is showing that acupuncture can be an effective and safe adjunct therapy for cancer care. Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that acupuncture is effective for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, insomnia, anxiety and overall well-being.

How Does Acupuncture Work?

According to theory, health problems occur when there is a disruption in the normal flow of qi and blood in the body. Acupuncture influences the movement of qi, blood and fluids throughout the body which is why there is a benefit from the treatment. If there is a disruption in one’s qi, acupuncture is used to restore the flow and bring the person back in “balance” and to optimal health.

Acupuncture treatments for cancer patients are usually once a week prior to beginning cancer treatment, one to two times per week during treatment, then once a week post treatment to help with recovery.

Acupuncture in Palliative Care

Many types of cancer patients can experience some welcome respite with acupuncture treatments from a qualified professional. Relief and comfort have been found useful for breast cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancers and many others.

Precautions are taken based on your unique health circumstances. Please discuss any pertinent issues with your practitioner prior to receiving acupuncture. Issues may include:

• Bleeding
  If you have a bleeding disorder, low platelet counts, or take blood thinners.
• Infection
  You should not receive acupuncture if you have low white blood cell counts since you will have a higher risk of infection. Your lowest immunity will be about 7 to 10 days post chemotherapy treatment.
• Lymphedema
  If you have had lymph nodes removed there are concerns that acupuncture in the area could increase the risk of infection.

For more information, see our Acupuncture Research page.

For more information or to schedule your appointment, please call DuPage Acupuncture Clinic at 331-226-4559.