Acupuncture for the side effects of Breast Cancer
One in nine women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. Cancerous cell formation occurs in the breast tissue. These cancerous cells can be malignant or benign where nearby tissues/body parts are affected or not, respectively.
In recent years, there have been many advances in the treatment of breast cancer with increasing positive results. There are many different types of treatment available for patients with breast cancer. Common treatments include surgery, radiation, hormonal therapy and chemotherapy. The focus of all these treatments are to ultimately destroy the cancer cells and prevent them from returning or at best slow down the cancers
development to give extended and better quality life.
These treatments are unfortunately rather dramatic and in most instances lead to side effects which may include, and not limited to the more common feelings of nausea, vomiting, lethargy, hot flushes, fatigue, dizziness, a “not with it” feeling.
There have been many positive studies that illustrate the benefits of acupuncture in conjunction with chemotherapy. A more recent study carried out by researchers in America revealed that acupuncture was said to give women undergoing cancer treatment decreases in hot flushes, as well as reduced depressive symptoms and an overall sense of improved well being. The study also highlighted that acupuncture treatment proved to be longer lasting than drug therapy used in vasomotor symptoms.
One perspective is that acupuncture works through regulating and harmonising the bodies nervous and hormonal system. The results to date have identified a reduction in side effects. It is therefore worthy of consideration as an additional parallel therapy.