Can Acupuncture Help Relieve Cancer Pain and Other Side Effects?
BY YANRAO ZHAO
Yanrao Zhao has a BSc in Acupuncture and is a fully insured member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) and the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS). Her memberships are recognised by most private medical insurers.
Yanrao has a special interest in cancer care and has extensive experience in treating the side effects of cancer treatment with acupuncture. She also volunteers under the Macmillan Foundation in Kingston Hospital.
Research shows* that acupuncture appears to be a safe and effective supplemental treatment for people who experience certain symptoms of cancer. It can also help manage some side effects of cancer treatment, including chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy and medications. Acupuncture, as a complementary and alternative medicine is currently offered by NHS hospitals and cancer centres in the UK.
The NIH gives a list of symptoms that acupuncture can help with:
Nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy.
Pain: Cancer pain, postoperative pain, muscle and joint pain from aromatase inhibitors, muscle and joint pain in cancer survivors, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
Hot flushes related to hormone treatment.
Dry mouth (xerostomia).
Sleep problems and fatigue.
The immune system.
Digestive problems: constipation, poor appetite etc.
Anxiety and stress.
Other symptoms of cancer and side effects of cancer treatment.
Based on Yanrao’s experience acupuncture treatment can also provide significant improvement for patients with nerve changes due to chemotherapy. Some of the common symptoms of chemotherapy may include numbness, tingling and sensation changes in the hands and feet.
If you would like to know more about acupuncture or how the treatment can help your symptoms, please contact Yanrao by email: 1needleacupuncture@gmail.com
* A study of 302 people with breast cancer found that acupuncture was helpful in managing a large range of cancer symptoms over a 6-week period. These symptoms included mental fatigue, physical pain, anxiety, and depression (Cancer Research UK, 2022).
