Acupuncture as a complement to radiation treatment

Complementary treatment, such as acupuncture, can enhance the effectiveness of radiation treatment for cancer:

Acupuncture is used with radiation therapy and cancer research is good and has some advantages. One is to increase immune function. Specific acupuncture points can increase red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Acupuncture may also stimulate steroid and other hormones such as melatonin, which can have anti-tumor activity.

Many randomized controlled studies have confirmed that acupuncture calms nausea and vomiting. In addition, some acupuncture points increase the anti-emetic effects of drugs before and after surgery, and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Acupuncture can be effective in managing pain in cancer and during radiation treatment. Acupuncture can also be useful for post-radiotherapy contracture of the jaw muscles. Acupuncture can also be effective in managing edema. In addition, acupuncture can help in the treatment of fatigue and body wasting through the modulation of cytokines and hormones.

Dry mouth from the head and neck radiation therapy can cause loss of taste, difficulty speaking and swallowing. Acupuncture has been found to reverse the effect by increasing the blood flow to the salivary glands. One study found an increase in flow salivary rate in all patients after acupuncture treatment and six month follow-up. After three years, they choose to patients treated with acupuncture showed a consistently higher rate salivary flow.

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