I have been recently diagnosed with cancer and am undergoing chemotherapy, which causes incredible nausea. Is there anything that can help?

Yes. Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are the mainstays of cancer therapy, with biological response modifiers being added recently. Acupuncture can be very helpful for the nausea that occurs from chemotherapy and the fatigue that accompanies radiation treatment. Also, it is helpful pre- and post-surgery as it supports and boosts the immune system of the body, while reducing stress. It has been suggested that inexplicable cancer cures come from an overwhelming response by your own immune system.

It has been reported that mind-body approaches to cancer have no known adverse effects, and often improve your quality of life and can calm the mind. People who receive acupuncture say that it gives them a better overall feeling of internal health and well-being.

A responsible practitioner can help establish a beneficial acupuncture treatment protocol in conjunction with your oncologist. Choosing your treatment options and utilizing whatever helps you is important. Supplementing conventional cancer therapy with acupuncture, an approach that addresses you as a whole person, can encourage the ideal outcome.

About the Author:

Jane McKee, MAcOM, L.Ac. is a licensed acupuncturist in Tigard, Oregon. 

To learn more about Jane McKee or the Meridian Acupuncture Clinic, please visit www.meridianacupuncture.com