As anyone who has been through chemotherapy knows, it is a rollercoaster.  Just as the body is showing its ability to heal from the last dose, it is time for the next.  Often it is the first day or two after an infusion that the patient feels best; the body has had the longest time to heal since the last infusion and the effects of the most recent infusion have yet to kick in.

The side effects indicate that the chemotherapy is working as desired.  The rollercoaster of the symptoms are a manifestation of our bodies’ incredible capacity for resilience and repair.  Still, no one enjoys the feelings of sickness that come with treating the wayward cancer cells.  Fortunately, acupuncture works quickly and effectively to mitigate the effects.

Let’s talk about the chemo-induced symptoms that I have treated in my office.

Tongue Pain  Chemotherapy causes the epithelial cells of the body, which then regrow. This includes the epithelial cells of the tongue.  Pain is probably not the right word to describe the sensation this causes, as the feeling ranges from dry, painful, sore, to other neurological symptoms such as a strange metallic taste and tingling.  I would say for most of my patients this is one of the most difficult to tolerate symptoms, because we use our mouths to ingest everything we need as well as to speak.

Fortunately, acupuncture can provide instant relief.  By working with channels that pass through the tongue, we can mitigate the discomfort of these sensations.  Patients usually report that they notice increased salivation during the treatment.  By the end of the treatment they notice less discomfort.  The relief provided by acupuncture can go a long way in making it possible to eat the amount needed to stay strong.

Nausea  You do not have to have experienced chemotherapy to know that the sensation of even mild nausea can make it difficult to inhabit your body.  Acupuncture is well known for being able to treat this condition.  In fact, there are some health insurances that will only cover acupuncture for “chemo-induced nausea”.

Gritty eyes, styes, and other eye symptoms  Because chemo attacks the fast growing epithelial cells, the glands we all have behind our eyebrows can sometimes stop working and no longer produce enough tears to moisten the eyes.  Acupuncture helps to reduce the inflammation and to promote healing of the tear glands.  Patients often comment that their eyes feel less filmy, less gritty, or less swollen by the end of the treatment, and the improvements continue to develop over the next 24 hours.  I will also send patients home with ju hua, or chrysanthemum, a most amazing flower for any sort of eye troubles.

Anemia  Chemotherapy impairs the body’s ability to make blood and can often result in low grade to severe anemia, or, depending on the chemo, even neutropenia.  Unlike the other symptoms in this post, a patient cannot report during the course of the treatment if their body has created more red or white blood cells or more hemoglobin.  However, my patients consistently report that their bloodwork is better than average.

Neuropathy  Some of the strongest chemotherapies, such as oxaliplatin (often used to treat pancreatic cancer), cause neuropathy.  This side effect sometimes becomes so severe that the course of treatment has to be discontinued, and the effects are sometimes permanent.  What I have found is that patients respond immediately to acupuncture in the first several rounds.  After that, while it continues to help, there is more variability between patients and the results are less complete and may not last as long.  

Painful nailbeds  Tender to painful nailbeds are due to visible damage to the blood vessels in the nail bed.  At its worst, the nails can fall out (but they grow back).  It has been described to me as a feeling of someone squeezing your finger tips.  Acupuncture also provides much welcome relief to this sensation.

Having born witness to this process, I am always so happy to be able to provide some relief during an emotionally and physically trying time. . If you or a loved one are facing the prospect of chemotherapy treatment, please consult with an East Asian medical physician like myself so that you can have the most support during the process.