Cancer Care: How Acupuncture Helps

Cancer. It's a diagnosis that no one wants to hear. It can leave you feeling frightened, uncertain, and powerless. But if you or a loved one is facing cancer, it's important to have hope. In many cases, cancer can be cured, especially when it's detected early. There are more treatments available now than ever before to cure cancer or slow it from spreading, relieve its symptoms, and help you live a healthier live.

It's also important to know that you have options in addition to standard medical therapies. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have been used for thousands of years to treat a wide variety of conditions. It can safely be used to naturally support your body and mind as you undergo conventional cancer treatments.

Understanding treatments and their side effects

Cancer is an overall term for a group of diseases that occur when cells begin to reproduce abnormally, eventually damaging or kelling healthy tissue. Most cancers are named accouding to where they begin in the body, and there are more than 100 different types. The most common are breast, skin, lung, colon, and prostate cancers.

Your treatment plan will be based on many factors, including the type and stage of the cancer and your overall health. While cander treatemnts have proven to be effective, they do have serious side effects to take into account. The most common treatments include:

Surgery: Performed to remove the cancer if possible. Surgery may be sued alone or along with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or biological therapy.

Chemotherapy: The use of medications to destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy generally lasts from 3 to 9 months, and can have side effects including fatigue, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, early menopause, and hot flashes.

Radiation Therapy: The use of high doses of radiation to destroy cancer cells. Side effects generally include fatigue, hair loss, and skin changes at the site of treatment.

Biological Therapy: This treatment works by boosting the body's immune system to fight cancer cells. Side effects depend on the specific type of therapy, but they can include rashes or swelling, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, nausea, and loss of appetite.

It is important to remember that acupuncture is not a "quick fix"

How acupuncture and TCM can help

Acupuncture and TCM have been used for thousands of years to maintain health and relive symptoms. Acupuncture Physicians work to treat imbalances in the body's Qi, or vital energy, by inserting fine, sterile needles at specific acupoints.

Since acupuncture has few side effects, it can be safely used as a complement to conventional cancer treatments. In fact, in many cancer cases it's recommended as a way to soothe and reduce side effects. According to the National Institures of Health, acupuncture has been found to be effective in relieving:

Nausea
Vomiting
Fatigue
Post-Surgical Pain

Acupuncture and TCM can also help relive stress, depression, and anxiety, which can greatly improve your quality of life during this challenging time.

Treating the person, not just the disease

Acupuncture Physicians take a holistic, or whole-body approach to cancer care. This means that not only will your symptoms be considered, but also your lifestyle, emotional state, and overall health. Your whole being will be taken into account, not just the cancer. When you work with your practitioner to improve your health and relieve your side effects, you are not only helping yourself get the most from eonventional treatments, you're taking back the control of your own life. By adopting some simple lifestyle changes, you will be on your way toward a healthier, happier, pain-free life.

Cancer Care Quick Facts............

Cancer treatment according to TCM is based on the principles of Fu Zheng Gu Ben.

Fu Zhen means strengthening what is correct. It is an immune enhancing herbal regimen using specific herbs. The objective is to support and stimulate deep energy systems within the body to make it stronger and more resistant to degeneration.

Gu Ben refers to strengthening and supporting the body to regenerate and repair.

Treatment may include:

Removing toxins that may contribute to cancer
Increasing the flow of blood and energy (Qi)
Removing accumulations of tissue that are believed to be the tumor
Restoring self-regulation and balance among the Jing (essence), Qi (energy), and Shen (mind/spirit)

Please don't hesitate to find out how to incorporate TCM into a cancer care plan for you or a loved one.

I am most happy to consult with the patient and caregivers.

Kathy E Thomas

Lake Premier Wellness Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

2430 South Bay Street, Eustis, FL 32726

352-323-0795

Veterans - PTSD

You’ve seen the strained look on her face. She’s far away. She doesn’t sleep well and sits around all day doing nothing. She’s always tired. You’ve invited her to the things she loves doing, but she never feels like doing them anymore. Sometimes she yells a lot—really overreacts. But when you ask her what’s wrong, she denies any problems.

You’re happy she is back from Iraq, but you thought it would be different. You thought you could get back to normal.

You thought that having her home safe would make both of you happy again. She’s not at war anymore—why is she acting this way?

Your loved one may have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Many veterans suffer from PTSD. The Veterans Administration (VA) reports that as many as 11-20% of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have it. Common war traumas include having been shot at, having seen someone shot or having seen death, but another cause of PTSD in veterans is military sexual trauma (MST). According to the VA, 23% of women in the military report sexual assault.

These numbers are scary but the good news is that there is help.

What is PTSD?

PTSD is a physiological disorder that can result from being exposed to a traumatic event. The disorder results in several different symptoms.

Re-experiencing. Some PTSD sufferers relive the traumatic event over and over. This can be in the form of bad memories, nightmares and flashbacks. Sights, sounds and smells can trigger re-experiencing the event.
Avoidance. Sometimes people with PTSD avoid the people, places and events that remind them of what happened.
Numbing. Symptoms of numbing include trouble expressing emotions, loss of interest in enjoyable activities, and the loss of memory of parts of the traumatic event.
Arousal. Anger, irritability, trouble sleeping, trouble concentrating, feeling on guard and being easily startled or surprised are common arousal symptoms.

The effects of post-traumatic stress disorder in someone’s life can be far reaching. Feelings of hopelessness, shame and despair, problems at work or with relationships, serious health problems, depression, anxiety and drug or alcohol abuse are not uncommon.

How Can I Help my Friend or Relative with PTSD?

There are many ways you can help your friend or relative with PTSD.

Learn everything you can about PTSD so you have a good idea what your friend is going through.
Offer to go to doctor visits with your friend. Help keep track of medications and therapy. If your friend is learning new techniques to cope with stress, ask if there is any way you can help.
Be available to listen, but be understanding if your friend doesn’t want to talk. Listen with an open heart. Don’t judge, argue or problem-solve. Listen with compassion.
Plan fun activities together. Be aware of events or environments that are difficult and plan events to be as stress-free as possible.
Encourage your friend to get support from family and other friends.
Pay attention to any comments about hurting herself and report them to her therapist or doctor.

Sometimes supporting someone with PTSD is challenging. Get support for yourself so you are able to help your loved one. Seek safety and help immediately if your friend or relative becomes violent or threatening.

PTSD Crisis Resources

If you or your loved one is in crisis:

Call 911.
Go to your nearest Emergency Room.
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). Press “1” if you are a veteran.
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in Spanish/Español 1-888-628-9454.
Go to the Veterans Crisis Line website to chat live with a crisis counselor at any time of day or night.

There are many new treatments available for soldiers and veterans suffering PTSD. The Veterans Administration has information about some of the therapies that have been most effective.

Acupuncture for PTSD

The Military Stress Recovery Project (MSRP) is a unique program that provides free community acupuncture to veterans and active duty soldiers with PTSD and their family members.

MSRP has its roots in helping hurricane victims. In 2005, Diana Fried organized Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB) to bring free community acupuncture to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. With the success of this program, Diana decided to use the same techniques to bring trauma relief services to veterans. She created MSRP and the program has since expanded to 27 different clinics.

Treatment in a MSRP clinic is unique for several reasons. Patients are treated in a group setting, sitting in comfortable chairs. There is an environment of calm and support. And the patients are treated using the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) protocol, a series of 5 needles placed in one ear. The program is designed to address all the needs of people with PTSD.

The MSRP clinics have been very successful. Patients report stress reduction, improved mental clarity, improved energy, enhanced performance, better sleep, fewer bad dreams and headaches, less anxiety and depression, reduced anger and pain, improved general health and better relationships.

Of course, if your loved one doesn’t have a MSRP clinic nearby, or if he or she prefers a private environment, you can contact me for an appointment or a referral to local acupuncturist.

What Can You Do to Help Veterans with PTSD?

If you know someone with PTSD, reach out to them and offer support. And if you want to help even more, donate money or volunteer at community services for veterans. Many programs offer free services for veterans and they can always use assistance. Some places to start:

Acupuncturists Without Borders: Support MSRP clinics.
National Acupuncture Detoxification Association Advocacy: Help to create community clinics near you.

Thank you to the soldiers and veterans who have served our country so bravely.