TCM for treating side effects of Breast Cancer Treatment

We have so much information circulating online, in newspapers, and the media alike right now to honor October as Breast Cancer Awareness month. So much wonderful information is here for us to educate ourselves about breast cancer and how it affects our lives. Along with looking at breast cancer: what it is, what causes it, how it is treated, we can also look at the treatments themselves that are used for breast cancer. Obviously, the treatments are used and indicated to treat the cancer itself, but what else do these therapies do to our bodies? Our emotions? How can Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) play a role in helping us adjust to these treatments?

TCM encompasses a variety of modalities including acupuncture, Chinese herbs, moxibustion, cupping, and gua sha. We use all of these different techniques to treat all illnesses and symptoms. All of these are used to reach the same result: to balance and harmonize the qi in our bodies. Our “qi” is the energy that flows through the channels in our bodies. When the flow of our qi is interrupted, then symptoms may arise. Using TCM therapies, our qi is able to move smoothly throughout our entire bodies and is able to nourish our organs, balance our hormones, and support all of our systems-digestive, immune, and all of our other systems.

Depending on which type of breast cancer is to be treated is a part of the deciding factor of which treatment may be chosen for each individual. Along with the type of breast cancer, other factors may be involved as well-age, constitution, and a patient’s personal decision. There are many breast cancer treatments available:

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation
• Hormone Therapy
• Targeted Therapy

These traditional therapies are advanced and have saved so many lives. In our modern day of medicine, we are fortunate that they allow for so many to enjoy their lives after recovery.

TCM can help with some of the side effects from the above listed treatments. The way TCM does this is by supporting and nourishing whichever part of the body that is directly affected by the treatment. These are some ways that TCM can help with these therapies:

• Surgery-Chinese herbs and moxibustion can help nourish the skin and tissue that has undergone the surgery and help circulate blood and nutrients throughout the body for a speedy and more comfortable recovery.
• Chemotherapy-acupuncture can help ease the nausea by nourishing and supporting the digestive system that is affected from the chemotherapy.
• Radiation-acupuncture and Chinese herbs can help ease the fatigue from the radiation-the physical and emotional fatigue that radiation therapy can take on our systems.
• Hormone Therapy-acupuncture can ease the side effects, such as hot flashes, of Tamoxifen, a common hormone therapy used for breast cancer patients.
• Targeted Therapy-Herceptin is a common drug used in targeted therapy. Acupuncture is helpful in eliminating the side effects of it such as sinus pain and sore throat.

Along with helping ease the physical discomforts from traditional treatments, TCM also helps to nourish our spirit as well. With a diagnosis of any serious illness, of ourselves or a loved one, it can take a toll on our minds and spirits, as well as our physical bodies. Acupuncture can help ease these emotions as the channels of energy in our bodies are not only associated with the physical parts of us but also our many emotions. When our spirit and soul is at peace, it makes for an easier process for our physical body to heal as well.

One of the beauties of TCM is that is easily integrated with traditional Western medicine therapies without interfering with that the traditional treatment is aiming to do. The two medicines work in harmony together to bring health and happiness to all of us.

Please take a moment to read this article discussing the benefits of acupuncture for the side effects from conventional medicines and therapies used for breast cancer:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=5860681&page=1

Caroline Jung, LAc., MSOM