Managing Cancer Pain with Acupuncture

Dealing with Cancer is already difficult enough without the added burden of pain. What if there was a way to ease that pain, allowing you to reclaim comfort and focus on healing?

Cancer is one of the most difficult conditions to deal with. This condition is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that can be detrimental if not treated. Pain experienced during cancer can either be a symptom of the disease itself or could be one of the side effects of the treatment and procedures.

Most common causes of pain for cancer patients

Pain Caused by Tumors: As tumors grow, they can press on other structures like nerves, bones, or other organs, leading to significant pain that varies depending on the tumor’s location and size.
Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: Chemotherapy drugs are strong medications that bring side effects such as numbness, tingling, and pain in the hands and feet. Symptoms can appear hours to days after chemotherapy. More cycles of chemo can bring more pain to the patient.
Pain Caused by other medications: Some hormone treatments for breast cancer cause joint pain and stiffness, adding another layer of struggle to the treatment process.
Surgical Pain: Pain from surgery is another common concern for cancer patients. While it typically lessens over time as it heals, it can still linger and bring chronic discomfort.
Phantom Pain: Some patients experience phantom pain from a limb that has been removed. This pain can be particularly distressing because it feels real, despite the absence of the body part.

Acupuncture has become an increasingly popular choice for managing cancer pain. Despite acupuncture's origin dating back thousands of years, recently produced studies and ongoing research are proving the effectiveness of acupuncture as a pain management treatment not only for cancer but for a lot of conditions. The National Cancer Institute and Cancer Research UK consider acupuncture as a complementary treatment for cancer pain and the side effects of cancer treatments. An evidence-based clinical practice guideline was also published in 2022 regarding the use of acupuncture to manage moderate to severe cancer pain and the use of acupuncture in breast cancer patients to relieve their aromatase inhibitor-induced arthralgia.

So why is acupuncture a choice of pain treatment for oncology patients?

Rarely has side effects: Acupuncture is known for its low risk of side effects, making it a safe option for those already managing complex health issues and undergoing multiple treatments.
Complements other pain treatments: Studies have shown that acupuncture can work alongside opioids to manage pain, potentially reducing the required dosage and minimizing the risk of dependency on pharmaceutical pain medications.
Treats multiple symptoms: Other than pain treatment, acupuncture can also address other symptoms related to cancer and its treatment, such as nausea, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and anxiety.

In addition to acupuncture, other modalities are also effective treatments in managing cancer-related pain. These modalities are also offered here at NYC Acupuncture + Wellness:

Medical Massage and Gua Sha: These two techniques can help reduce muscle tension, improve circulation, and provide relaxation. These also improve blood flow and can reduce inflammation to achieve the body's balance.
Cupping: Cupping can also increase blood flow and remove toxins from the body to promote healing. The suction applied to the skin also provides a relaxing feeling, which can put the mind in a grounded state.

Acupuncture treatment from NYC Acupuncture + Wellness

Before receiving acupuncture treatments, we require all new patients to have an initial consultation. During the initial consultation, history taking and physical assessment are done. This is also an opportunity for you to have an open conversation with Dr. Ting.

Discuss the health problems that you have
Provide the list of medications or treatments you're currently undergoing
Mention all the cancer symptoms and the side effects you are experiencing from your treatments that you would like to address

After the consultation, you will be provided with a treatment plan and will be given the option to get the treatment on the same day or to schedule it on a different date.

Book an appointment and experience the care and personalized treatment plans we offer. Let us help you find balance in your daily life. Click here to schedule an appointment

Reference:

Acupuncture. Complementary and alternative therapy | Cancer Research UK. (2022). https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/complementary-alternative-therapies/individual-therapies/acupuncture

Can acupuncture help cancer survivors with chronic pain?. NCI. (2021, April 22). https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/acupuncture-for-pain-cancer-survivors

Ge, L., Wang, Q., He, Y., Wu, D., Zhou, Q., Xu, N., Yang, K., Chen, Y., Zhang, A. L., Hua, H., Huang, J., Hui, K.-K., Liang, F., Wang, L., Xu, B., Yang, Y., Zhang, W., Zhao, B., Zhu, B., … Zhang, H. (2022, January 5). Acupuncture for cancer pain: An evidence-based clinical practice guideline - chinese medicine. BioMed Central. https://cmjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13020-021-00558-4