Acupuncture Against Pain of Head and Neck Cancer Surgery

We all know acupuncture as an old medical procedure that originated in China — a practice of inserting thin needles into specific body points to improve health and well-being.

Now, new data from a randomized, controlled trial found that acupuncture provided significant reductions in pain, dysfunction, and dry mouth in head and neck cancer patients after radical neck dissection.

According to David Pfister, MD, Chief of the Head and Neck Medical Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) — who led the study and who presented the results at the ASCO Annual Meeting:

“Chronic pain and shoulder mobility problems are common after such surgery, adversely affecting quality of life as well as employability for certain occupations.

Nerve-sparing and other modified radical techniques that preserve certain structures without compromising disease control reduce the incidence of these problems but do not eliminate them entirely.

Unfortunately, available conventional methods of treatment for pain and dysfunction following neck surgery often have limited benefits, leaving much room for improvement.”

While Barrie Cassileth, PhD, Chief of the Integrative Medicine Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), said:

“Like any other treatment, acupuncture does not work for everyone, but it can be extraordinarily helpful for many.

It does not treat illness, but acupuncture can control a number of distressing symptoms, such as shortness of breath, anxiety and depression, chronic fatigue, pain, neuropathy, and osteoarthritis.”

Read more the MSKCC News.