Women who have had breast cancer may see themselves feeling more sensual and able to enjoy sex if they have acupuncture to treat some of the frustrating side effects of some cancer treatments, such as hot flashes and night sweats, say researchers.
Hormone therapy, used to treat some types of breast cancers, is often taken for up to five years after a woman has completed chemotherapy. However, the side effects are often more than simply annoying. They can have a significant impact on quality of life. Not being able to sleep well is the root of many problems at the best of times, but it can be much more difficult when you’re trying to win a battle against a potentially fatal disease.
There are medications currently available to counter some of the side effects but they are not always effective. Seeing as acupuncture has already been found to reduce hot flashes in postmenopausal women, researchers from the Henry Ford Hospital looked into its effectiveness in this situation, comparing acupuncture with standard medications.
The results, which were published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Oncology, found that
“Acupuncture offers patients a safe, effective and durable treatment option for hot flashes, something that affects the majority of breast cancer survivors. Compared to drug therapy, acupuncture actually has benefits, as opposed to more side effects,” says study lead author Eleanor Walker, M.D., division director of breast services in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Henry Ford Hospital.
Fifty women were randomly assigned to undergo acupuncture or take venlaxafine, a commonly used medication in this patient group. Both groups received treatment for 12 weeks, all the while keeping a journal/diary to record how many and how often they experienced hot flashes. They also took surveys about their overall health and mental health.
Although both groups showed a 50 percent drop in hot flashes and depressive symptoms at first, but after two weeks, the women who received acupuncture continued to have a drop in hot flashes, which was not the case in the medication group.
This shows that acupuncture could be a reasonable option for some women who are taking hormone therapy after breast cancer treatment.
~~~
Image: iStock.com
Post from: Blisstree