Acupuncture Helps Cancer Patients Recover after Surgery

Acupuncture has been shown to significantly reduce pain, dysfunction and dry mouth in head and neck cancer patients following surgery. Researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York performed a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of adding acupuncture to treatment. The study followed seventy patients who had undergone neck dissection surgery for the treatment of cancer.

Half of the patients received standard treatments that included physical therapy exercises and the use of anti-inflammatory drugs. The other half received standard treatment with the addition of weekly acupuncture sessions over a 4 week period.

Pain and mobility improved in 39 percent of the patients receiving acupuncture, compared to a 7 percent improvement in the group that received standard care only. Another added benefit is those in the acupuncture group reported a significant reduction of xerostomia, or extreme dry mouth. Dry mouth is a frequent side effect of those undergoing radiation and chemotherapy treatment that is currently only being addressed with limited success.

Many patients following these types of surgical procedures suffer greatly with chronic pain and limited mobility in the neck and shoulder area. Conventional forms of treatment offer limited relief and show much need for improvement. While more research needs to be done, acupuncture shows a lot of promise towards treating and managing pain for this group of patients. I feel it should be considered as becoming a recommended form of care following surgery, as it provides significant pain relief with minimal side effects.