How does cancer support treatment work?
Cancer support treatment doesn’t target cancer itself but is instead an option to support the treatments you already receive. While modern cancer treatment has made incredible strides, side effects from cancer treatments can be almost unavoidable. Cancer support treatment can alleviate such side effects and improve your quality of life as you undergo the necessary treatment.
At Elemental Acupuncture, Dr. Leddy provides cancer support treatment using long-trusted methods from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). For many people, cancer support treatment involves acupuncture. Acupuncture targets specific energy points using fine needles placed gently on your skin.
Some evidence suggests traditional Chinese medicine improves cancer treatment outcomes and life expectancy, though experts don’t understand how or why this may be the case.
Who can benefit from cancer support treatment?
Acupuncture and other forms of TCM can alleviate some of the intense side effects of common cancer treatments. In Western medicine, cancer treatments aim to shrink or kill cancer cells and prevent them from spreading. Common options can slow cancer progression significantly and include:
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy involves circulating medications throughout your body via your bloodstream. As a systemic treatment, chemotherapy can target cancer cells anywhere in your body and not just at a singular site.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is a local treatment that targets cancer cells at their original location using strong energy beams. Systemic radiation treatments also exist but are less common.
Both chemotherapy and radiation therapy can cause challenging side effects by damaging healthy cells and tissues.
Which side effects can cancer support treatment alleviate?
Many side effects can come from cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy. While side effects can be intense in some cases, your physician can help you decide if the benefits of the cancer treatment outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Elemental Acupuncture uses traditional Chinese treatments to minimize common cancer treatment side effects, including:
Nausea
Many people experience nausea and vomiting as a side effect of lifesaving chemotherapy treatment. These are also common occurrences after radiation therapy to the digestive tract, liver, and brain.
Neuropathy
Neuropathy is another term for nerve damage, which causes a variety of widespread symptoms like numbness, pins and needles, and pain. Cancer treatments can also damage motor nerves causing muscle spasms, muscle wasting, and swallowing difficulties.
To learn more about cancer support treatment, book a consultation online or call Elemental Acupuncture today.
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