Acupuncture for cancer patients

Acupuncture for cancer patients is an effective way to manage the side-effects of cancer treatments and cancer pain. It can also offer invaluable emotional and mental support during diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment.

It’s almost unbelievable how much better I look and feel this morning. It was the best sleep since my cancer diagnosis.

The side-effects of cancer treatment

Cancer treatment can bring with it a range of challenging side-effects. These can include:

• Nausea and sickness
• diarrhoea and constipation
• Headaches
• An increased risk of infection
• Pain
• Fatigue
• Dry mouth
• Hot flushes
• peripheral neuropathy
• brain fog and memory loss
• Depression and anxiety

Everyone responds to cancer treatment differently. Which of these side-effects you experience will depend on the type of treatment you have and how you respond to it. Many side-effects are temporary, although some cancer patients experience ongoing issues beyond the end of their treatment.

You will be offered conventional drug treatments to counteract these side-effects.

I attended regularly over a six month period during chemotherapy treatment. The acupuncture alleviated the side effects as well as improving sleep, fatigue and general wellbeing.

Acupuncture for cancer patients

Acupuncture treatment offers a safe, non-invasive and natural approach to treating the side-effects of cancer treatment. You can have acupuncture as either an alternative, or to compliment any drug therapy prescribed to ease the side-effects of your cancer treatment.

Chinese medicine understands that cancer treatments can disrupt the balance of yin and yang and the flow of Qi and blood in the body. Treatment aims to restore the balance within the body so that the side-effects are diminished.

Gosh I’m so lucky I have had you through my breast cancer treatment. The difference your counsel and acupuncture have made to me through these months – it has absolutely kept me sane and calm and positive.

When to start treatment

You can start your acupuncture treatment whenever you feel ready. Research suggests that having acupuncture the day before chemotherapy helps to alleviate nausea and sickness. You may also be further along in your journey and as a cancer survivor want to find ways to support your emotional and physical well-being for the future.

Further reading:

You may be interested to read about the research that’s been carried out in the area of acupuncture for cancer patients. You can read some complied by Evidence Based Acupuncture and the National Library of Medicine.

Have a question about acupuncture for cancer patients? Then book in for a free 15-minute telephone consultation