Acupuncture Eases Breast Cancer Symptoms

Posted on January 5, 2010 in Health & Medicine, Holistic Remedies, Women's Health

The hormone therapy administered to some breast cancer patients can cause uncomfortable symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. Drugs designed to suppress these side effects can cause additional side effects like dry mouth, decreased appetite and nausea. A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology suggests that acupuncture can reduce these symptoms as effectively as drug therapy and provide a safe alternative.

In the study, 50 breast cancer patients were randomly given acupuncture or drug therapy for 12 weeks. After the treatment period ended, patients were tracked for one year to monitor their overall health.

Both groups of patients initially experienced a 50 percent reduction in hot flashes and depression, indicating that acupuncture was as effective as the drugs. Acupuncture was also reported to improve patients’ energy and clarity of thought. Two weeks after the treatment stopped, hot flashes increased in the medication group but remained minimal in the acupuncture group. Researchers concluded that acupuncture had more benefits, as opposed to more side effects, for breast cancer patients.