Oncology Acupuncture
Having spent a year working in a voluntary capacity with cancer patients I have been very grateful to have had the opportunity to offer my acupuncture services to people during true times of health crisis.
Western medicine is excellent and the medical staff are exceptional in how they move patients through the process of diagnosis, treatment and post treatment. There are limited resources and the priority is rightly on fighting the disease.
My experience gave me insight into how acupuncture can be a huge help for cancer patients.
Working with patients at all stages from newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment and post treatment there were similar issues that repeated.
Shock takes its toll on the patient who has been diagnosed with cancer and needs to come to term with treatment plans and prognosis. It is a trauma on the individual and their loved ones. Fear and anxiety are both commonly experienced. Acupuncture rebalances the nervous system and moves the physical manifestations of stress.
Physical pain takes many forms, pain from treatment or operation, neuropathy pain, pain from stress and anxiety being stored in the body. Acupuncture is effective in pain reduction and restoring the body to as much of a pain free condition as possible.
Side effects of treatments like chemotherapy and radiation can vary person to person but often times there is nausea, rib pain and digestive issues. Acupuncture can mitigate side effects and help a patient to endure and tolerate treatment.
Energy is often impacted along side sleep being not good. Although it is not always possible to restore energy and sleep fully it is possible to boost energy and improve sleep quality - both of which are so important during and post treatment.
Post treatment when the person may have been ‘given the all clear’ this can be the first time a patient slows down and takes stock of all that they have gone through.
On top of all these benefits there is also the experience of being taking care of in a non medical setting where patients are treated in a holistic way with the focus on all around healing -physical, mental and emotional.