Most people do not realize how mainstream acupuncture has become for treating cancer patients. The National Cancer Institute has lots of information on their website regarding acupuncture. Here’s a snippet:
“This summary contains the following key information:
- As part of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture has been practiced in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years.
- Acupuncture is defined as the application of stimulation such as needling, moxibustion, cupping, and acupressure on specific sites of the body known as acupuncture points.
- Acupuncture has been practiced in the United States for about 200 years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the acupuncture needle as a medical device in 1996.
- Acupuncture is used to treat a wide range of illnesses and ailments; however, cancer patients predominantly use it for pain management and nausea and vomiting control.
- To date, most reported acupuncture research on cancer has been carried out in China.
- Laboratory and animal studies to explore the mechanisms of acupuncture for cancer treatment have focused mainly on the role of acupuncture in the activation of immune functions, such as increasing blood cell count and enhancing lymphocyte and natural killer cell activity.
- The aim of most acupuncture clinical observation and clinical trials in cancer patients has been to evaluate the effects of acupuncture on symptom management.
- The most convincing research data on the effects of acupuncture in cancer patients have emerged from studies of the management of chemotherapy -induced nausea and vomiting. “
Source: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/acupuncture/HealthProfessional/allpages
There is lots of information on the site linked above concerning acupuncture treatments for cancer patients. You can also contact us to discuss the various options that are available.
