As if cancer isn’t difficult enough, cancer treatments can cause side effects and issues that may also need to be addressed. The good news is, an increasing body of research is finding that acupuncture is a viable option for additional pain management for people receiving chemotherapy or having surgery. Side effects of these cancer treatments can include anxiety,  neuropathy, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, and constipation.

Acupuncture for Cancer Treatment Side Effects

Acupuncture works by regulating and balancing qi, which is the energy that flows through the body along channels called meridians. By inserting tiny, hair thin needles into specific points along the meridians, the nervous system is modified, stimulating the release of neurotransmitters like endorphins and serotonin.

The Research

Clinical research has found that acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment option for several common side effects from cancer treatments. In addition to chemotherapy side effects, acupuncture can help manage the side effects from surgery, hormone therapy, and radiation.

A 2009 study, The Value of Acupuncture in Cancer Care, found that “The evidence currently available has suggested that acupuncture is a safe and effective therapy to manage cancer and treatment related symptoms, while giving patients the ability to actively participate in their own care plan… Randomized clinical trials (RCT) have demonstrated that acupuncture is effective for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Research studies also suggest acupuncture may be helpful in managing cancer-related pain, chemotherapy-related neutropenia, cancer fatigue, and radiation-induced xerostomia.”

A 2018 review of acupuncture research also found promising results, particularly with regards to acupuncture’s efficacy for cancer-related fatigue and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Research has also found acupuncture to be an effective treatment for reducing pain, depressions, anxiety, and sleep issues associated with some cancer treatments and surgery, as well as chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. 

Acupuncture can also support healthy immune function, which is especially important for people undergoing cancer treatment as those treatments cam compromise immune function. 

Vero Beach Acupuncture for Cancer Treatment Side Effects

Kim Netling is a Board Certified and Licensed Acupuncture Physician. Kim is 

highly skilled in helping patients who are suffering the side effects of cancer treatments, including nausea or vomiting from chemotherapy, peripheral neuropathy, or tingling, numbness or a burning sensation in the extremities, and dry mouth from radiation therapy.

Adding acupuncture to your cancer treatment regimen can support wellbeing and immune function, and provide you with relief from side effects like pain, nausea, vomiting, neuropathy, sleep issues, fatigue, depression, and anxiety. If you or a loved one are going through cancer treatments and are looking for drug-free ways to manage the side effects common with cancer treatments, book an acupuncture appointment now!

VIM Acupuncture

(772) 774-7775

87 Royal Palm Pointe

Vero Beach, FL, 32960-4253