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

Fertility/Pregnancy Blog Series

Over the next few months, our focus on our blog will be fertility and pregnancy. We will be writing a series on the fertility aspect, discussing fertility issues and treatments for them and follow with blogs discussing pregnancy, throughout the nine months and post-partum care. We will be writing from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, along with bringing in Western medicine aspect of these topics.

This first blog will begin with an overview of fertility and infertility with the following blog going into more detail about fertility, infertility, and treatments.

Our reproductive system is an amazing part of our physiology. To study the details of how it works is fascinating! There are so many intricate details that happen so many times each day that allow for our normal reproduction and optimal health. Closely tied to our reproductive system is our endocrine system, which is relied on for the regulation of hormones to allow for menstruation, conception, and many other functions.

Fertility is a broad subject that includes many pieces to it-not only conception. We have so many processes leading up to conception-for both women and men. All of these processes depend on so many things-lifestyle, age, physiology, and many more. Each individual woman and man going through any fertility issue may have one or numerous factors to consider. Our present day health and medical communities offer many practitioners to help with moving through any fertility issue. Also, there is also the option for preparing our bodies and relationships for conception-for some time before even trying to conceive.  By using all resources, it makes learning about fertility and pregnancy a much easier road.

Kokopelli-A Fertility God

                                                                           
Fertility is defined as the natural capability of giving life. Infertility, for a woman, is defined as a medical condition when a woman under the age of the 35 has not conceived after having unprotected intercourse for a year. For a woman over the age of 35, it is not having conceived for at least 6 months with unprotected intercourse. Infertility for a man is defined as not being able to conceive with a fertile woman, possibly due to several factors.

From a female standpoint, and for couples as well, understanding the menstrual cycle is a good place to start to see where possibilities may come up for infertility issues. The menstrual cycle is a series of physiological changes that a woman’s body goes through in preparation for conception and pregnancy. Once a month, the uterus develops a new endometrium (the uterine lining) to prepare for a pregnancy. The endometrium is the site of implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus. In any given month, if there is not a fertilized egg to signal for implantation to occur, then the endometrium begins to shed--this process is known as menstruation. Menstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining which is the menstrual bleeding that occurs for women beginning in their teenage years up until menopause. A menstrual cycle includes four phases:

·      Menstrual phase: usually lasts about 5-7 days at the beginning of each cycle; shedding of uterine lining

·      Follicular phase: usually lasts about 7 days just after menstruation; production of estrogen to nourish and support follicle growth for the maturing egg

·      Ovulation: a surge of luteinizing hormone to signal to the follicle to release the egg, normally cycle day 14

·      Luteal phase: usually lasts about 12-14 days after ovulation; development of the corpus luteum from the ruptured follicle; progesterone and estrogen are produced to support a pregnancy or the hormones can begin to decline and the menstrual cycle starts over again

                                                                                

When we look at the menstrual cycle from a TCM point of view, we are paying attention to the yin and yang aspects of the cycle. We would like to make an important point here, along with examining the menstrual cycle from a TCM perspective, we also take into account the hormone levels, menstrual bleeding, and all aspects of all four phases.  By looking at the yin and yang of the cycle and the symptoms and changes that may arise for each individual woman, we can make a diagnosis of where the root of a disorder is and how it can be treated. Yin and yang are two aspects of each individual we look at and take into account when making a diagnosis and treatment for a patient. Yin and yang represent the foundational energy of the body—the hot and cold, the feminine and masculine, and many other fundamental characteristics. The yin and yang are also associated with various hormones in the body. Yin has more “estrogen-like” qualities while yang has more “testosterone-like” qualities. The following is a TCM view of the menstrual cycle:

·      Menstrual phase: loss of the blood, qi, and yin of the body
·      Follicular phase: replenishing of blood, qi and yin; build these aspects of the mind, body, spirit back to normal levels to allow for ovulation
·      Ovulation: shifting from yin to yang energy, allowing for timely ovulation
·      Luteal: a rising of the yang energy

When we look at a woman’s symptoms, for example, if she has an early ovulation day, then we may look closely at the amount of yin she has and nourish the yin to support ovulation for the next cycle. We can determine an excess or deficiency of the yin by asking questions about digestion, sleep patterns, and many other detailed questions about a woman’s lifestyle. By closely examining the fluctuations throughout any given menstrual cycle, we can determine which hormones may be out of balance. This can help to draw a conclusion of what a disorder may be and where it is stemming from. All female disorders will have some yin or yang imbalance along with some qi and blood imbalance. These are the cornerstones that make up the human body and the functions of the body and all of its’ systems.

Outside of a normal menstrual cycle, many issues and disorders may arise. These include irregular menses, dysmenorrhea, menstrual migraines, fibroids, infertility, endometriosis (please see our blog from March 22, 2011 for details on endometriosis), PCOS (please see our blog from September 11, 2011 for details), PID, menopause, and many other issues. Each disorder has many causes, symptoms, and treatments. We will go into more detail on each of these disorders throughout this series of the blog.

Caroline Jung, Dipl. Ac., MSOM