Acupuncture for Cancer Care in Clearwater, Florida

While cancer survival rates are increasing due to advancements in cancer treatment, the treatments themselves are still very taxing to the body, causing numerous debilitating side-effects.  Acupuncture is a perfect complementary option to lessen these side effects, alleviate pain and help strengthen the body.  Because of this, many elite cancer care facilities including Moffitt Cancer Center, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and the Naval Medical Center (San Diego) offer acupuncture services.

Oriental Medicine for Cancer:

Oriental Medicine is the oldest, continually practiced form of medicine in the world.  It is just as valuable today as ever, because it emphasizes the re-establishment of natural balance and utilizes the body’s innate healing wisdom to gently address the underlying causes of symptoms.

Though it is a complete medical system, most Doctors of Oriental Medicine do not treat cancer per se.  Instead, we offer supportive treatment, using acupuncture, Chinese herbs and nutritional counseling to reduce the side effects of conventional cancer treatments, relieve pain, and to provide support for the overall health of the body.

Oriental Medicine for Nausea & Vomiting:

Nausea, vomiting and poor appetite are common side effects of chemotherapy.   Even with the best anti-nausea medications, 60% of chemotherapy patients still experience nausea and vomiting (Collins).  Acupuncture has been found by many research studies to greatly reduce chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting; in fact, the National Institute of Health endorses its use.  For example, in England, a study of 130 cancer patients found that when acupuncture was added 97% had reduced or no sickness after chemotherapy (Dundee).  Numerous other studies support the same findings (Aglietti, Deng, Reindl, Molassiotis).

Acupuncture for Pain:

Because Acupuncture and Chinese herbs enhance the circulation of energy and blood through the body, it can decrease the swelling and pain of surgery, and the pain of cancer itself.  To illustrate, in 2005, the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association reported on several studies:  In one, the majority of 250 patients with gynecologic cancer had enhanced pain relief when acupuncture was administered as an adjunct to anesthesia (Menefee).  Another study found substantial pain reduction in patients receiving ear acupuncture (Menefee).   Cancer treatment–related pain, muscle and bladder spasms, and vascular problems all are found to improve with acupuncture (Alimi, Deng, Menefee).

Acupuncture for Increased Immunity and Energy:

Acupuncture helps build the immune system and increase the rate of healing, as well as boost energy levels.  It is ideal to use concurrent to cancer treatment (to reduce side-effects), before treatment (to help prepare the body) and after treatment (to build strength and prevent recurrence).

While it is advisable to not take Chinese herbal medicine during chemotherapy treatment, to avoid possible interactions, it is quite helpful to take individually prescribed Chinese herbal formulas before chemo has begun, and after it is complete. Several studies reviewed in Acupuncture Today (Sept 2005 edition) show that combining Chinese herbal formulas with conventional therapies leads to better treatment results with fewer hemoglobin changes, higher white blood cell counts, and lower recurrence rates than conventional therapy alone (Fratkin).  In another study, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, acupuncture was shown to reduce post-chemotherapy fatigue by 31% (breastcancer.org, Cohen).

Acupuncture for other chemotherapy–related problems:

Acupuncture can help with a host of other chemotherapy related problems: Because there is evidence that acupuncture can assist a variety of psychoneurological issues, researchers at UCLA recommend that physicians support their patients’ decision to use acupuncture for chemotherapy-associated cognitive dysfunction (Johnston).  Acupuncture is also useful to treat patients with radiation-induced xerostomia (lack of salivation), as well as patients with shortness of breath, depressed mood, leg swelling due to removal of lymph nodes, and menopausal symptoms due to anti-estrogen therapy. Acupuncture also improves arm mobility following lymph node removal from the chest area (Cohen, Filshie, Mehling, Menefee, Rydholm).

In my own clinic, I have also used acupuncture to alleviate dizziness after radiation therapy, and scar tissue pain from cancer surgery.

For those who are needle shy, a treatment alternative is acupressure massage.  Using the same acu-points, acupressure applies gentle sustained pressure, rather than needles.  It is a perfect choice for those who fear needles, or who just want to experience supportive touch.

A welcome added effect of acupuncture/acupressure is the deep sense of relaxation and wellbeing that is often experienced during and after the treatments; it can greatly increase a cancer patient’s quality of life.

Dawn’s Qualifications:

Cancer care is one of my passions, so I have become certified in “Acupuncture for the Cancer Patient” from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. I provide acupuncture, acupressure and nutritional counseling to patients in all various stages of all various types of cancer to alleviate discomfort, and to enhance energy, appetite and immune function.

I generally do not prescribe Chinese herbal medicine to patients undergoing chemotherapy, but I do like to provide it for patients who are complete with their chemotherapy treatments, or are not candidates for chemotherapy, to enhance their digestion, vital energy, and immune system.

For more info on the care I provide for Cancer patients, please see my Cancer support website page.

Dawn Potter, AP, Dipl.OM

(Excerpts published in Tampa Bay Wellness, Oct 2007)

Start Cancer Support Acupuncture in Clearwater Today

Are you, a friend or a loved one currently going through cancer treatments? Looking for cancer support options that can help you feel your best during these times? Dawn Potter Acupuncture in Clearwater offers a wide range of cancer support/care treatment options. Schedule your free 15 minute phone consultation today to get started. Sources:

Aglietti, L., et al.   “A pilot study of metoclopramide, dexamethasone, diphenhydramine and acupuncture in women treated with cisplatin” Medical Oncology Division, Ospedale Policlinico, Perugia, Italy. – 1990. Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology. 26(3) p. 239-240

Alimi, David, et al.  “Analgesic Effect of Auricular Acupuncture for Cancer Pain: A Randomized, Blinded, Controlled Trial”.  Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 21, Issue 22 (November), 2003: 4120-4126

American Cancer Society Website. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/STT/content/STT_1x_Cancer_Facts__Figures_2007.asp

BreastCancer.org Website.  http://www.breastcancer.org/comp_med_acupuncture.html

Cancer Treatment Centers of America Website. http://www.cancercenter.com/complementary-alternative-medicine/acupuncture.cfm

Cohen, Andrea J, MD, et al. “Acupuncture: Role in Comprehensive Cancer Care—A Primer for the  Oncologist and Review of the Literature.” Integrative Cancer Therapies, Vol. 4, No. 2, 131-143 (2005).

Collins, KB & Thomas, DJ.  “Acupuncture and acupressure for the management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.” J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 2004 Feb;16(2):76-80. Review.

Deng, G, et al.  Complementary therapies for cancer-related symptoms. J Support Oncol. 2004 Sep-Oct;2(5):419-26; discussion 427-9. Review. PMID: 15524070

Dundee, J, et al.  Acupuncture prophylaxis of cancer chemotherapy-induced sickness.  Department of Anaesthetics, Queen’s University of Belfast. – 1989.  Journal of Royal Society of Medicine 1. 82(5) p. 268-271.

Filshie, J, et al.  “Acupuncture for the relief of cancer-related breathlessness.” Palliat Med. 1996 Apr;10(2):145-50.  PMID: 8800822

Johnston, MF, et al. “Acupuncture for chemotherapy-associated cognitive dysfunction: a hypothesis-generating literature review to inform clinical advice”.   Integr Cancer Ther. 2007 Mar;6(1):36-41. PMID: 17351025

Johnstone PA, et al. (Naval Medical Center, SD)  “Integration of acupuncture into the oncology clinic.”  Palliat Med. 2002 May;16(3):235-9. PMID: 12047000

Komen, Susan G.  The Breast Cancer Foundation Website. http://www.komen.org/intradoccgi/idc_cgi_isapi.dll?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=298

Mehling, We, et al.  Symptom management with massage and acupuncture in postoperative cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2007 Mar;33(3):258-66. PMID: 17349495

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center website: http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/1987.cfm

Menefee, Lynette, PhD & Monti, Daniel, MD.  “Nonpharmacologic and Complementary Approaches to Cancer Pain Management.” Journal of the American Osteopathic Association • Vol 105 • No suppl_5 • November 2005 • 15-20.   http://www.jaoa.org/cgi/content/full/105/suppl_5/S15 – REF43#REF43

Moffett Cancer Center Website. http://www.moffitt.usf.edu/ClinicalPrograms.aspx?spid=9194651A8B264C848B698727A326E3B3&ContentNumber=3&ForwardFrom=87EF0AF86A4B4237A29886E3EC67B04A

Molassiotis A, et al.  “The effects of P6 acupressure in the prophylaxis of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients”. Complement Ther Med. 2007 Mar;15(1):3-12. Epub 2006 Sep 27. PubMed # 17352966

NIH Consensus Statement (Acupuncture) Online 1997 Nov 3-5; month, day]; 15(5):1-34. http://consensus.nih.gov/1997/1997Acupuncture107html.htm

Reindl, TK, et al.  “Acupuncture against chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in pediatric oncology. Interim results of a multicenter crossover study”.  Support Care Cancer. 2006. Feb;14(2):172-6. Epub 2005 Jul 14. PMID: 16021478

Rydholm, M & Strang, P. Acupuncture for patients in hospital-based home care suffering from xerostomia.  J Palliat Care. 1999 Winter;15(4):20-3. PMID: 10693302

#sideeffectsofcancertreatment #complementarymedicine #chemotherapysideeffects #cancer #acupuncture #radiationsideeffects #integratedoncology #complimentarymedicine #orientalmedicine

Apple Pie Smoothie

Recipe (vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free).

If you’ve been enjoying apple season like I have, try this green smoothie that is a new twist on an old favorite….

Ain’t Your Grandma’s Apple Pie:

2 apples, cores removed 2 handfuls kale, spinach or other greens 1/4 cup raisins 1/8 cup almonds (about 6 to 8 almonds) 1 tsp hemp seeds or chia seeds 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp apple pie spice or sprinkle of cloves 1 cup water

Put all ingredients into a good blender and blend until smooth.  Add more water if it is too thick.

In Oriental Medicine, apples are said to benefit the stomach, spleen and lung.  They stimulate the appetite, relieve diarrhea, clear heat, and moistens the lung.

They are also medicinal for the liver and gall bladder, to help thin bile that is too sludgy, and to help soften cholesterol-based gall stones.

Apples contain calcium, potassium, iron, sodium, phosphorus, Vitamins A, C, and B1 and B2, niacin, fiber and flavones.

Enjoy!

Dawn Potter, AP, Dipl.OM

#greens #detoxify #fruits #fiber #greensmoothie #phytonutrients #complimentarymedicine #wholefood #plantbased #nutrition #orientalmedicine

Acupuncture for Fertility

If you have been trying to conceive a child for at least 1 year without success, most doctors would diagnose you with infertility. You are not alone; infertility currently affects about 6 million people in the U.S., at the time of this writing.

Many couples turn to the latest medical technologies to assist them, such as ovulation-promoting drugs, intra-uterine insemination (IUI), and in vitro fertilization (IVF). These are collectively known as Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART).  In vitro fertilization is an incredible technology that has led to many successful pregnancies.

However, IVF is not an easy path to choose: it is a very complex procedure, it is quite expensive, and most find it emotionally difficult. In addition, the success rates are still relatively low (generally 10% to 35% at the time of this writing).  If you decide to invest your time and money into these therapies, you want to be sure you are giving yourself every advantage possible.  Adding acupuncture to your ART can significantly increase your chances of success.

If ART is not for you, due to financial, medical or other reasons, or if you wish to try something less invasive/expensive first, acupuncture is, again, very valuable, for both female and male factor infertility.

Acupuncture with ART:

Growing numbers of research studies in medical journals are demonstrating impressive results when acupuncture is combined with ART.  A landmark study published in April 2002 in the Fertility & Sterility Journal caught the attention of many reproductive specialists:  women undergoing IVF embryo transfer who received acupuncture had a 42.5% success rate, compared with the 26.3% success rate of those who did not get acupuncture.

A study published in May 2006 (Fertility & Sterility) found that acupuncture more than doubled the pregnancy rates of IVF procedures.  Because of this and other research, many infertility doctors refer their patients for acupuncture.

Acupuncture for fertility, without ART:

Acupuncture has been treating infertility for over 2000 years.  Consider that throughout history in Chinese culture the inability to have a child (especially a son) was considered the worst kind of tragedy.  When infertility afflicted a couple, there was a great deal of motivation for Chinese physicians to develop effective treatments.

Only recently has Western science begun to conduct studies on acupuncture by itself for infertility: one study compared women with endocrine dysfunctional infertility:  one group was put on the common infertility drug that begins with “C” (that google will not allow me to spell out) and the other was treated with acupuncture.  The result was 45% pregnancy in the “C” drug group, and 65% in the acupuncture group.

Other studies show that acupuncture can stimulate ovulation, reduce the impedance of blood flow to the uterus, and normalize the hormone communication cycle in women.  It also reduces stress hormones and increases endorphin levels, both of which positively affect hormone levels.

And there are numerous studies citing the benefits of acupuncture for male factor infertility.  Acupuncture increases the number and ratio of normal-form sperm; significantly decreases the number of anti-sperm antibodies (in male immune infertility), and increases the quick sperm motility.

Why does Acupuncture work?

From an Oriental medicine viewpoint, acupuncture is effective for infertility because it helps to relieve stress, correct imbalances and ensure proper communication in the body.  It increases the circulation of energy, blood and nutrients to the necessary organs and glands, so that they are healthier, work better, and communicate with each other more effectively.

Recommended Protocol:

In general, I recommend acupuncture treatments weekly for at least 4-6 weeks followed by twice monthly, combined with Chinese herbs, until pregnancy. The more treatments initially, the quicker the results. For those patients whose MD’s have requested that they not take herbs during their ART, I recommend once or twice weekly acupuncture treatments.  These protocols are the same for both men and women.

For best chances of success with ART, acupuncture treatment should begin 3 months prior to any major procedure.  If this schedule is not possible for you, aim to get treatments for as many weeks as possible before the procedure begins.

What to expect from Acupuncture for Fertility:

In my clinic, I have found that acupuncture can:

1. Regulate menstrual cycles:  Often infertility is associated with irregular menstrual cycles or endometriosis.  With acupuncture and herbs I have seen women without regular periods start cycling regularly again, women with heavy bleeding normalize, and significant or complete reduction of endometriosis.

2. Increase ovulation rates:  Related to irregular menstruation, some infertility patients simply are not ovulating regularly.  With only acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, one specific patient has been ovulating consistently for 7 months, after more than 12 years of negative ovulation test readings!

3. Increase the number and quality of eggs that are ovulated:  After 2 months of acupuncture, one IVF patient produced 15 healthy eggs that were extracted; that is nearly double her first IVF cycle, without acupuncture, when she produced 8 healthy eggs.

Another patient, with a history of repeated miscarriages, was told by her infertility specialist that she could never use her own eggs to have a baby.  It was his professional opinion that her eggs were too poor quality for her to get pregnant naturally and keep the child; she would have to do IVF with donor eggs.   After 3 months of acupuncture and herbal medicine, she became pregnant naturally, and, at the time of this writing, is due to give birth in 2 weeks.

4. Increase the chances of implantation:  Acupuncture helps to increase circulation to the uterine wall, creating a more optimal lining condition.  It also helps to relax the uterus, so that implantation is more likely.  Often, in IVF, the embryo transfer process stimulates uterine contractions, which can make implantation difficult.  This is why studies find that acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer increases success rates significantly.

5. Increase the chances of a healthy, full-term pregnancy:  Continued acupuncture treatment for at least the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is highly recommended to decrease chances of miscarriage.   It’s also useful for morning sickness, fatigue and mood swings.

The journey to overcome infertility can be a very difficult one.  It makes sense to be sure that you are giving yourself every advantage.  Whether you choose to receive ART or not, you can feel confident that including acupuncture in your plan will increase your chances of having the baby you want.

Sources:

Berkley, Dr. Mike, Treating Infertility using Acupuncture.  American Pregnancy Association.  Accessed from http://www.americanpregnancy.org/infertility/acupuncture.htm

Chen, By, Acupuncture normalizes dysfunction of hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.  Acupunct Electrother Res. 1997;22(2):97-108. PMID: 9330669

Dieterle, S., et al.  Effect of acupuncture on the outcome of in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a randomized, prospective, controlled clinical study. Fertil Steril. 2006 May;85(5):1347-     51. Epub 2006 Apr 17. PMID: 16616748 .

Dong, C, et al. Clinical observation and study of mechanisms of needle-picking therapy for primary infertility of abnormal sperm. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2006 Jun;26(6):389-91. Chinese. PMID: 16813177

Fu, B et al.  Effects of the combined therapy of acupuncture with herbal drugs on male immune     infertility – a clinical report of 50 cases.  J Tradit Chin Med. 2005 Sep;25(3):186-9. PMID: 16334720

Gurfinkel E, et al.  Effects of acupuncture and moxa treatment in patients with semen abnormalities. Asian J Androl. 2003 Dec;5(4):345-8. PMID: 14695986

Mo X, et al, Clinical studies on the mechanism for acupuncture stimulation of ovulation. J Tradit Chin Med. 1993 Jun;13(2):115-9. PMID: 8412285

Paulus, Wolfgang, MD, et al., Influence of Acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. American Society for Reproductive Medicine / Elsevier Science Inc (Fertility & Sterility, April 2002, Vol.77, No.4).

Robinson, Kathleen and Tracy Hickenbottom, Acupuncture has numerous potential fertility boosting benefits according to New York Weill Cornell physician-scientists.  Cornell News. New York, April 2003.  Accessed from www.news.cornell.edu/releases/April03/fertility.html.

Song, JJ et al.  Progress of integrative Chinese and Western medicine in treating polycystic ovarian syndrome caused infertility. Chin J Integr Med. 2006 Dec;12(4):312-6. Review. PMID: 17361532

Stener-Victorin E, et al. Use of acupuncture in female infertility and a summary of recent acupuncture studies related to embryo transfer.  Acupunct Med. 2006 Dec;24(4):157-63. Review. PMID: 17264833

Westergaard. LG, et al.  Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improves the reproductive outcome in infertile women: a prospective, randomized trial. Fertil Steril. 2006 May;85(5):1341-6. Epub 2006 Apr 5. PMID: 16600232

Yang, JR, et al.  Controlled study on acupuncture for treatment of endocrine dysfunctional infertility. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2005 May;25(5):299-300. Chinese. PMID: 16320739

Zhang, M, et al.  Influence of acupuncture on idiopathic male infertility in assisted reproductive technology.  J Huazhong Univ Sci Technolog Med Sci. 2002;22(3):228-30.  PMID: 12658811

Dawn Potter, AP, Dipl.OM

Published in Tampa Bay Wellness, Sept 2007

#fertility #IVF #invitrofertilization #complementarymedicine #acupuncture #complimentarymedicine #assistedreproductivetherapy #infertility