Acupuncture
The practice of acupuncture is a traditional eastern method of pain management and relaxation that developed in China hundreds of years ago. The practice involves the strategic placement of needles into specified "acupoints" around the body. Through a careful balance of needle placement around the acupoints, the Chinese believed the person could attain an energy and bodily vivacity called the Qi. It is believed that when a person is experiencing physical and emotional pain, the restoration of balance can lead to attaining Qi.
While certainly an untraditional methodology, people have practiced acupuncture in the United States for nearly two centuries. In fact the Food and Drug Administration has been evaluating acupuncture for over 30 years and recently ruled that acupuncture could be classified as a "medical device."
The value of acupuncture to a cancer patient, including those who are patients of mesothelioma, is the lessening of pain. Patients of all cancers can likely benefit from natural suppression of pain and acupuncture provides that for many. Studies have been conducted in which cancer patients have undergone acupuncture in conjunction with traditional treatments. Results were encouraging, with many of the patients able to eliminate some or all of their pain suppressing medication. In other studies, evidence has shown that patients who undergo acupuncture have strengthened their immune systems, an integral function of the body when undergoing cancer treatment. Some patients have also reported a lessening of symptoms associated with chemotherapy such as fatigue, weight loss, and nausea.
Acupuncture is generally considered safe for most people. There may be some soreness or lightheadedness following a session but those symptoms were minimal in most patients, many of whom seem to agree that any benefit they received from acupuncture significantly outweighed the pain or discomfort they were dealing with prior to the session. One important thing for cancer patients to remember however is the strength of their immune system. Those who are experiencing a diminished immune function would likely be more prone to infection from the small needle points. Sterile needle use is imperative to protect yourself against harmful virus or bacteria.
