Studies are showing that acupuncture may be as effective as drug therapy in helping alleviate the side effects of breast cancer treatment – and its effects are often longer lasting.

What is acupuncture?

An ancient Chinese therapy practiced for thousands of years, acupuncture is the procedure of inserting and manipulating filiform needles into various points on the body to relieve pain or for therapeutic purposes. According to traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture points are situated on meridians along which qi, or life force, flows.

What side effects can acupuncture help alleviate?

Pain, fatigue, post-operative or chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. A recent study showed that acupuncture reduced xerostomia (extreme dry mouth) and skeletomuscular pain and dysfunction experienced by head and neck cancer patients, following radiotherapy. Acupuncture also can help relieve neuropathic pain caused by some types of chemotherapy or by nerve damage.

All this – and none of the side effects associated with any of the drugs prescribed to alleviate cancer symptoms.

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