These side effects can be so terrible that patients are unable to continue with cancer treatments.
According to Dr. Eugene Mak, Board Certified Oncologist and member of the Medical Acupuncture Research Foundation:
“Acupuncture is now routinely administered before, after and in between chemotherapy treatment sessions for control or nausea and emesis (vomiting)”. Such treatments are relatively simple and easily executed in an outpatient setting. Its effectiveness helps in minimizing the use of standard, expensive multi-drug anti-nausea regimens with their attendant side effects, given along with the chemotherapeutic agents.”
“That acupuncture is a powerful tool for general pain control is widely known. Less known is its success use in some cancer-related pain and in reducing narcotic use and thereby minimizing the side effects confusion, behavioral changes, nausea and severe constipation.”
The primary reason patients cannot continue chemotherapy is the immune and blood cell suppression that occurs with most chemotherapeutic agents. Because chemo damages the bone marrow along with killing the cancer cells, the body's ability to make red and white blood cells is compromised. Decrease in red blood cells, which deliver oxygen to all our tissues result in fatigue. Decrease in white blood cells, which is central to the body’s immune system can also be life threatening, as the patient has no means of fighting off even the common cold.
Acupuncture together with nutritional supplementation is the main treatment principle for in patients receiving conventional cancer treatments in oncology hospitals in China. An approach called Support the Upright and Cultivate the Foundation (扶正培本 Fu Zheng Pei Ben) is used to strengthen the body before, during and after cancer therapy. Support the Upright means improving the body’s immunity (increase white blood cell), while Cultivate the Foundation, means giving the body the organ reserve energy needed to prevent fatigue (improve digestive system to better assimilate nutrients to make red blood cells). This strategy supplements Qi and Blood deficiency, improve organ reserve, boost constitution, increase immune function and is associated with better compliance with conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Medical Qi Gong Therapy for Cancer Treatment
Qi means energy or breathe, Gong means cultivation. Qi Gong is a type of mind-body exercise that is commonly practiced in oncology hospitals in China. It is also practiced in leading oncology centers such as the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. Qi Gong includes stretching, improving breathing and massaging organ areas. It has been proven to improve the immune system, promote relaxation, reduce stress, lower anxiety, relieve depression and increase lymph flow.
Battling cancer is not only physically demanding but its impact on our emotional and spiritual wellbeing can sometimes be even more challenging. A skilled Medical Qi Gong Therapist can diagnose the energetic, emotional and spiritual deviations associated with chronic illnesses such as cancer. Through direct counseling and personalized movement therapy, patients can begin to use their mind and spirit as a healing tool to achieve improvements in their quality of life.
Click Here to learn about how Chinese Medicine views Cancer
|
