Acupuncture for Cancer
•Acupuncture Cancer Treatment
•Acupuncture Cancer Research
•Acupuncture and Breast Cancer
•Acupuncture Points for Cancer
Acupuncture and Cancer
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal treatment for cancer is based on the principle of Fu Zheng Gu Ben. "Fu Zheng" means strengthening what is correct. "Gu Ben" means regeneration and repair.
Treating cancer with acupuncture and Chinese herbs requires diagnosing according to the four examinations.
The aim of treatment is to harmonize the patient as well as to attack cancer.
Acupuncture is not a cure for cancer, but acupuncture can be used together with Chinese herbs to enhance modern cancer therapies, as well as to reduce the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy. In some cases acupuncture can ease the pain of cancer itself.
ACUPUNCTURE RESEARCH FOR CANCER
Can Acupuncture Help Cancer Patients? The Research
Reaearch shows that the answer is yes; acupuncture cannot cure cancer, but acupuncture has an adjunctive use in anesthesia, acupuncture can be used in post-operative pain control, and acupuncture can play a role in recovering from the side effects of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Acupuncture is effective for control of local swelling, shortening the duration of hematoma and minimizing the need for pain medicine and their resulting side effects. Electro acupuncture, using needles with electricity, and moxibustion (heating with herbs) promotes a sense of well being and has been shown to accelerates recovery.
Nausea and vomiting which commonly occurs during chemotherapy, can often be aided by acupuncture and Chinese medicines.
At UCLA School of Medicine, a study completed several years ago reported significant reduction of nausea and vomiting when pre-treated with acupuncture. Acupuncture is employed before, after and in between chemotherapy treatment sessions.
Acupuncture, herbs, and moxibustion help in minimizing the use of expensive multi-drug anti-nausea medicines. Such treatments are easily executed in an outpatient setting, saving considerable expense.
By reducing the need for powerful and dangerous medications, acupuncture and chinese herbal medicines are thus a powerful tool for minimizing the side effects of confusion, disorientation, behavioral changes, nausea and constipation.
Acupuncturists also believe that cancer depletes the body's energy, and that acupuncture and Chinese herbs can return energy into the system, enhancing the patients' sense of well being and decrease the depression associated with cancer.
Kenneth Conklin, M.D., Ph.D., an anesthesiologist at UCLA working with the Oncology Department, reports gratifying results utilizing nutrition and supplements combined with energetic acupuncture.
For the complete text of this article see:
http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/acu_info/articles/ cancertreatment.html
ACUPUNCTURE FOR BREAST CANCER
Many treatments for breast cancer come with side effects such as hot flashes, fatigue, night sweats and others.
Now research suggests that acupuncture may help ease some of these side effects.
A study by Dr. Eleanor M. Walker, director of breast radiation oncology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit compared acupuncture to drug therapy. "We found acupuncture was just as effective and had no side effects," said Dr. Walker.
"We were also able to show that the effect of acupuncture was longer lasting. After about two weeks of stopping drug therapy, women started having symptoms. With acupuncture, it was 15 weeks."
Walker compared acupuncture with the antidepressant Effexor in 47 women with breast cancer. Each woman received a 12-week course of Effexor or acupuncture.
After the study, both groups reported similar improvements in hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. However, there were no side effects in the acupuncture group, whereas some women in the antidepressant group had nausea, dry mouth, headache, trouble sleeping, constipation and other side effects.
Many of those receiving acupuncture reported having more energy, a greater sense of well-being, and an improved sex drive.
Herbal Medicines for Breast Cancer
Acupuncture Points for Lung Cancer and Breast Cancer
Acupuncture points on the lung and large intestine channel can be used in treating post surgical pain of lung cancer and breast cancer.
Also, Acupuncture points Stomach 12-17 are located on the breasts. These points are used to treat breast pain from post cancer surgery.
Acupunctue point Qi Men • Liver 14 Cycle Gate. Front Mu Point of the Liver
Located on the chest, on the midclavicular line.
CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINES FOR CANCER
More Acupuncture Points for Cancer
Acupuncture Points will vary according to the type and location of the disease,or if treatment is given to reduce the side effects of medications.
Common Acupuncture Points for nausea are:
Acupuncture Point Zu San Li • Stomach 36 Leg Three Miles. He Sea Point on the Stomach Channel. Special Command Point for the Abdomen. Earth Point on the Earth Meridian.
Location: On the leg, one finger breadth lateral to the tibia's anterior crest, 3 cun inferior to ST 35 in the depression to the lateral side of the patella.
Acupuncture Point Nei Guan • Pericardium 6 Inner Pass. Luo Connecting Point on the Pericardium Channel
Location: On the anterior forearm, superior to the transverse wrist crease, between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis muscles.
Acupuncture for Joint Pain:
Acupuncture Point Yang Ling Quan • Gall Bladder 34 Yang Mound Spring. Hui Point for Tendons and Muscles.
Location: On the lateral side of the leg, in the depression anterior and inferior to the head of the fibula.
Acupuncture Points on the Urinary Bladder Channel
Acupuncture Points on the Bladder Channel are not just used for bladder cancer, but are used to treat the pain of many types of cancer. Below is a diagram of acupuncture points on the Urinary Bladder channel. These acupuncture points are used post surgery for cancer pain, including kidney cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, and bowel cancer.
Acupuncture Points on the Conception Vessel are selected according to the organ affected with cancer. The following acupuncture points are often used following cancer surgery for uterine cancer, prostate cancer, bowel cancer or ovarian cancer.
