Northfield Acupuncture &

Alternative Medicine Clinic

Oriental & Alternative Medicine

Dan Martin O.M.D., D.O.M.
 Meet the Doctor
Man owes something to man. If he ignores the debt it poisons him, and if he tries to make
payments the debt only increases, and the quality of his gift is the measure of man.
--John Steinbeck - Sweet Thursday, 1958

Dr. Martin is a rare find in doctors in this day and age. With the increased
pace of new discoveries in technology and the never-ending demand of
patients on a doctor's existence, many doctors lack the personal touch.
Often, patients leave an office feeling uncared-for and just another
insurance form to file. Dr. Martin, however, is down to earth, visiting
with patients as they receive treatments while treating them with respect
and courtesy, lacking today in many major clinics. It is no wonder that
many of Dr. Martin's patients come from as far as Maine and California
to be under his care.
He is also a man of many talents: author, teacher and doctor, to name a
few. It is Dr. Martin's desire to give people a choice when it comes to
health care. He continually lobbies for patients' rights as others try to
restrict the freedoms patients have when seeking out their health care
provider. He has served as the President of the Arkansas Association of
Oriental Medicine for the last 5 years, an organization dedicated to
protecting those rights of both the patient and the doctor. -- Tawnya
Jonsek, patient
 The Humor of Dr. Dan

"the treatments are free, you're paying for the

monologue." overheard during a conversation with a
patient.

"I'm glad you're feeling better, and I thank you for

the compliment. It's not that I'm that good, it's just
the others are that bad"
conversation with patients.

"No you don't have to take six pills three times a

day. I'll let you take three pills six times a day!"
-conversation with patient about medicine
* Naturopathic Medicine is a
distinctively natural approach to
health and healing that
recognizes the integrity of the
whole person.
* Naturopathic Medicine is heir to
the vitalistic tradition of medicine
in the Western world,
emphasizing the treatment of
disease through the stimulation,
enhancement, and support of the
inherent healing capacity of the
person.
* Methods of treatments are
chosen to work with the patient's
vital force, respecting the
intelligence of the natural healing
process. The practice of
Naturopathic Medicine emerges
from six underlying principles of
healing.
* These principles are based on the
objective observation of the
nature of health and disease and
are continually re-examined in
light of scientific analysis. It is
these principles that distinguish
the profession from other medical
approaches:
• The healing power of
nature.
vis medicatrix naturae
• Identify and treat the cause.
tolle causam
• First do no harm.
primum no nocere
• Treat the whole person.
* Naturopathic philosophy serves
as the basis for naturopathic
practice. The current scope of
naturopathic practice includes,
but is not limited to:
• Clinical Nutrition
• Botanical Medicine
• Homeopathic Medicine
• Physical Medicine
• Oriental Medicine
The healing power of nature.
vis medicatrix naturae
* The body has the inherent ability
to establish, maintain, and restore
health. The healing process is
ordered and intelligent; nature
heals through the response of the
life force.
* The physician's role is to facilitate and
augment this process, to act to identify
and remove obstacles to health and
recovery, and to support the creation of a
healthy internal and external environment.
Identify and treat the cause.
tolle causam
* Illness does not occur without cause.
Underlying causes of disease must be
discovered and removed or treated before
a person can recover completely from the
illness. Symptoms are expressions of the
body's attempt to heal, but are not the
cause of disease.
* Symptoms, therefore, should not be
suppressed by treatment. Causes may
occur on many levels including physical,
mental, emotional, and spiritual. The
physician must evaluate fundamental
underlying causes on all levels, directing
treatment at root causes rather than at
symptomatic expressions.
First do no harm.
primum no nocere
* Illness is a purposeful
process of the organism.
The process of healing
includes the generation of
symptoms which are, in
fact, an expression of the
life force attempting to heal
itself. Therapeutic actions
should be complementary
to and synergistic with this
healing process.
* The physician's actions can support or
antagonize the actions of the vis
medicatrix naturae. Therefore, methods
designed to suppress symptoms without
removing underlying causes are
considered harmful and are avoided or
minimized.
Treat the whole person
* Health and disease are conditions of the
whole organism, a whole involving
complex interaction of physical, spiritual,
mental, emotional, genetic, environmental,
social, and other factors. The physician
must treat the whole person by taking all
of these factors into account.
* The harmonious functioning of all aspects
of the individual is essential to recovery
from and prevention of disease, and
requires a personalized and
comprehensive approach to diagnosis and
treatment.
Clinical Nutrition

That food is the best

medicine is a cornerstone
of naturopathic practice.
Many medical conditions
can be treated more
effectively with foods and
nutritional supplements
than they can by other
means, with fewer
complications and side
effects.
Naturopathic physicians use dietetics,
natural hygiene, fasting, and nutritional
supplementation in practice.
Botanical Medicine

Many plant substances are powerful

medicines. Where single chemically-
derived drugs may only address a single
problem, botanical medicines are able to
address a variety of problems
simultaneously.
Their organic nature makes botanicals
compatible with the body's own chemistry;
hence, they can be gently effective with
few toxic side effects.
Homeopathic Medicine

Homeopathic medicine is based on the

principle of "like cures like." It works on a
subtle yet powerful electromagnetic level,
gently acting to strengthen the body's
healing and immune response.
Physical Medicine

Naturopathic Medicine
has its own methods
of therapeutic
manipulation of
muscles, including
ultrasound, diathermy,
exercise, massage,
water, heat and cold,
air, and gentle
electrical pulses.
 Point Injection Therapy

Point injection therapy utilizes the injection of liquid medicine into

acupuncture points to prevent or treat diseases.

It is one of the more integrated treatment strategies available to us in the

21st century. It combines the actions of acupuncture with the
pharmacological effect of Chinese medicinal herbs or biomedical
pharmaceuticals.

It uses hypodermic needle techniques at acupuncture point locations so as

to produce successful clinical outcomes.
 Commonly Used Injectable Materials

Any Injectable medicinal which can be used for intramuscular

injection is suitable for acupuncture point injection therapy.
Commonly used Herbal Injectables
Ye (Fo. Artemisiae Argyi)
Bai Hua She Cao (Hb. Hedyotis Deffusae)
Ban Mao (Mylabris)
Bu Gu Zhi (Fr. Psoraleae)
Chai Hu (Rx. Bupleuri
 Western Medicinal Injections
used in Acupuncture Point Injection…

Magnesium sulfate
Vitamin B1, B12,
Vitamin K3
Califerol

Procaine hydrochloride
Atropine
Reserpine
Normal saline
Antibiotics
 Oriental Medicine Intravenous Therapy
Myers Cocktail

The "Myers Cocktail" is an intravenous therapy consisting of various mixes

of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

It can be very useful in situations where oral nutrients or other therapies are not
working.
When nutrients are given intravenously, your digestive system is bypassed and
a much higher level of nutrition can be delivered directly to your cells via the
bloodstream.
The general effect of a Myers Cocktail intravenous therapy appears to be a
marked improvement in the energy capacity and function of cells. If your
cells can function at their best, it's more likely you can recover from a
serious health problem.

Back in the mid-1900s, Dr. John Myers was the first physician to extensively
use intravenous nutrient therapy to obtain positive clinical results for a
variety of medical conditions. Today, hundreds of D.O.M.’s –Doctors Of
Oriental Medicine offer variations of the Myers Cocktail.
People respond differently to intravenous nutrient therapy. Some may only
need an occasional Myers Cocktail, while others may need one monthly or
even weekly in order to keep their chronic condition under control.

The Myers Cocktail IV therapy may be helpful for many chronic or acute
conditions, including fatigue, fibromyalgia, depression, infection, asthma,
chest pain, congestive heart failure, palpitations, migraine headaches,
cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems, seasonal allergies, hives,
hyperthyroidism, and acute muscle spasms, to name a few. A Myers
Cocktail can even help athletes recover faster from an illness so they can
participate in an event.

If you or a loved one has a health problem that is not getting better, talk to a
“D.O.M.”-Doctor of Oriental Medicine to determine if a Myers Cocktail
intravenous therapy is appropriate for you.
 Clinical Nutrition

Nutrition and the therapeutic use of foods have always been a cornerstone of
Oriental Medicine.

Thousands of medical research studies and articles have validated the Oriental
Medicine / Natural approach to diet and nutrition.

Many health problems can be treated as effectively with foods and nutritional
supplements as with drugs, but with fewer complications and side effects.
 Botanical / Herbal Medicine

Many plant substances are effective natural medicines.

They are effective and safe when used properly, in the right doses and in
proper combination with other herbs or treatments.
Recent medical research is demonstrating that some plant substances
are superior to synthetic drugs in certain clinical situations, and have
fewer side effects.
Doctors of Oriental Medicine –D.O.M.’s are uniquely trained in the art
and science of botanical medicine.
 Functional Medicine Diagnostic Testing

• The lab tests you are accustomed to generally assess the degree of
pathology (signs of something gone wrong).

• Functional medicine diagnostic testing goes much deeper. It measures the

level of function of your body, thus revealing what may be CAUSING things
to go wrong. If some aspect of your metabolism or bodily function is not
working properly, disease conditions may eventually result.

• Need to find out more?

• Speak to your Doctor Of Oriental Medicine-D.O.M.

 Lifestyle Counseling

• Lifestyle habits are a crucial component of good health and a happier life.
• We advise you about regular exercise, stretching and flexibility, rest and
relaxation, smoking and recreational drug cessation, cleaning up your
personal environment, and living a balanced life.

Counseling and Stress Management.

• Improvement in attitudes and emotions can be important elements in

healing from disease.

• Many Doctors of Oriental Medicine- D.O.M. are trained in various

psychological techniques, including counseling, nutritional balancing, stress
management methods, hypnotherapy, biofeedback, and meditation.
 Homeopathic Medicine.

• Homeopathic Medicine.

• Homeopathy is more than 200 years old, and is widely accepted in other
countries.

• Homeopathic medicines act to strengthen the body’s innate immune

responses.

• They rarely have any side effects.

• Some conditions that are resistant to conventional medical treatment may

respond well to homeopathy.
 Physical Medicine

In the last 100 years, various methods of treatment involving

the manipulation of the muscles, bones have been
developed in Oriental Medicine.

• Oriental Medicine has its own techniques, collectively known as Oriental

Medicine Manipulative Therapy, Oriental Medicine Body Work & Tunia.

• Oriental Medicine-Physical medicine may include physiotherapy, heat and

cold applications, gentle electrical impulses, ultrasound, diathermy,
hydrotherapy and exercise therapy.
Oriental Medicine

Oriental medicine theory offers an

important understanding of the unity of
the body and mind, and adds to the
Western understanding of physiology.
Acupuncture provides a method of
treatment which can unify and harmonize
the imbalances present in disease
conditions, which, if untreated, can result in
illness.
 Acupuncture’s Role
in the Integrative Medical Care
of Cancer Patients

Dan Martin, O.M.D., D.O.M.

 A Brief History of Acupuncture

• Acupuncture is one branch of a complete system of

medicine known as Oriental Medicine, which has
developed over the course of thousands of years.

• Theories underlying traditional Oriental Medicine

are largely based on observing the natural world.

• Oldest written medical information ~ 168 BCE

• Most important text – Yellow Emperor’s
Canon of Internal Medicine – (300-100 BCE)

• Historically, people learn by being part of a

lineage of practitioners - leads to the practice
of many different styles.

• Western/Biomedicine comes to China in the

early 1900s. Begins long process of
Westernizing traditional Chinese medicine.
• 1950s - Mao Zedong has leading medical people
standardize and Westernize traditional medicine.
Becomes known as “TCM” (Traditional Chinese
Medicine) – taught today in many Western
acupuncture schools.

• In China today, many hospitals are integrated –

Biomedicine/Western & Traditional medicine in the
same hospital.

• Standard practice in Chinese TCM hospitals for

cancer patients to receive Biomedical and traditional
medicine (includes herbs) treatment simultaneously.
 The Holistic Nature of
Oriental Medicine
• Oriental medicine takes all aspects of a person’s
health into account.
• Able to treat patient as a whole – body, mind, spirit
(especially important for cancer patients).
• Aims to treat the root causes of disease, while also
addressing the symptoms.
• Pattern oriented – try to ID the overall pattern of
disharmony in the body which is causing disease.
The Theoretical Foundations
of Acupuncture
 The Human Body

• Acupuncture theory sees the body as a

microcosmic representation of the universe
(e.g. meridians of the body are analogous to
the waterways of the earth).

• Organs of the body are considered more for

their functions than for their structure.
 The Concept of Qi

• Translated as “life energy” or “vital

energy”, a dynamic construct.
• OM defines Qi by the function it performs
in the body. Qi is responsible for all
physiological functioning in the body.
• Qi is derived from three main sources: air
we breathe, food we eat, & inherited.
• Qi flows through the body via channels, or
meridians, that correspond to particular
organs or organ systems.
Qi
 The Concept of Blood
• Different than Western idea of blood –
though there is overlap. Also defined
functionally.
• Blood nourishes the body, moistens body
tissues.
• Blood contains the Shen, or spirit, which
corresponds roughly to the psyche.
• Blood and qi perform many of the same
functions, yet are interdependent.
 Meridians & Acupoints
• Meridians are pathways which qi follows as it flows
around the body.
• Analogous to, but not the same as, circulatory,
lymphatic, and nervous systems.
• 12 regular meridians, named for internal organs.
• Meridians contain 365 acupuncture points.
• Points have Chinese names which often relate to their
function or location.
• Acupoints are discrete and specific sites through
which the Qi of the organs communicates with the
surface of the body.
Stomach
Meridian
Graphics reprinted with permission
Copyright 2002-2005
Yin Yang House – all rights reserved
http://www.yinyanghouse.com/
Small
Intestine
Meridian
Graphics reprinted with permission
Copyright 2002-2005
Yin Yang House – all rights reserved
http://www.yinyanghouse.com/
 Organ Systems
• Each organ system associated with different levels
of influence - physical, energetic, mental,
emotional. Mind-body continuum.
• Again, organs seen more for their functions than
for their physical structure.
• Example - we say in Chinese medicine that the
“Spleen” keeps blood within the blood vessels.
The “Spleen” also transforms food into qi that the
body can use (i.e. digestion and assimilation).
• OM organs  Biomedical organs.
 Causes of Disease
• Generally disease is caused by dysfunction
in flow of qi and/or blood in the body.

• Three causes of disease:

1) External causes of disease:
» Six Exogenous Factors
2) Internal causes of disease:
» Seven Emotions
3) Other causes of disease:
» Miscellaneous
 Exogenous Factors
• Environmental conditions behave the same
way in the body as they do in nature.
»Wind
»Dryness
»Heat
»Cold
»Dampness
»Summer-heat
 Endogenous Factors
• Excessive or prolonged emotions lead to a variety
of distortions in the movement and function of Qi,
which can eventually result in pathology:

- Anger - Pensiveness
- Joy - Shock
- Sadness - Worry
- Fear
 Miscellaneous Factors

– Genetic Predisposition – Constitutional

issues
– Improper diet – includes overeating, eating
the wrong foods, poor eating habits
– Overwork – physical and/or mental
– Trauma
– Parasites
 Diagnosis
• Goal is to locate and describe a pattern of
disharmony.

• Based on the “4 Examinations”

1) Asking
2) Looking
3) Listening
4) Palpating
• Tongue Diagnosis
– Observe color, coating, size, shape,
moisture. Organs mapped on tongue surface.

• Pulse Diagnosis:
– Assess: rate, quality, strength. Different
positions correspond to internal organs.
 Treatments
• Only sterile, single-use needles.
• May have mild discomfort with needles, but
generally well tolerated.
• Treatments are usually very relaxing.
• Treatment course depends on nature of disease,
cancer patients may need ongoing treatment.
• Simultaneously treat the symptoms while
addressing the root cause and/or the constitution
of the patient.
 Biomedical Theories of How
Acupuncture Works
• “Gate Control theory” – acupuncture stimulates nerve
fibers which signal for inhibition of pain.

• “Endorphin theory” – stimulates release of

endorphins, serotonin, norepinephrine and ACTH – all
implicated in pain relief.

• “Connective Tissue theory” – acupuncture creates

changes in connective tissue which impact 1the body at
the cellular level via mechanotransduction.
1. Langevin HM, Churchill DM, Cipolla MJ. Mechanical signaling through connective tissue: a mechanism for the therapeutic
effect of acupuncture. FASEB J. 2001;15:2275-2282.
 Acupuncture and
the Integrative
Treatment of Cancer
 Here Are Nine Effective Natural
Strategies …

Finding out that you or a loved one has cancer can

be absolutely terrifying. However, once you
understand the causes of cancer and what you can
do about it, you or your loved one can have more
than a fighting chance of beating cancer.
Unfortunately, these strategies can't help everyone
survive, but if you have enough time for them to
work, and apply them, your odds certainly
improve.
 What Exactly Is Cancer And Why
Does It Develop In Your Body?

• Cancer cells are always being created in the body.

It's an ongoing process that has gone on for eons.
In fact, the immune system developed
components whose job it is to seek out and
destroy cancer cells.
• Cancer has been around as long as mankind, but
only in the second half of the 20th century did the
number of cancer cases explode. Contributing to
this explosion are the huge amounts of toxins and
pollutants we are exposed to, high stress lifestyles
that zap the immune system, poor quality junk
food that's full of pesticides, irradiated and now
genetically modified, pathogens, electromagnetic
stress, lights and just about anything that wasn't
around 200 years ago.
• All these weaken the immune system, and alter
the internal environment in the body to an
environment that promotes the growth of cancer.
• Cancer is not a mysterious disease that suddenly
attacks you out of the blue, something that you
can't do anything about. It has definite causes that
you can correct if your body has enough time, and
if you take action to change the internal
environment to one that creates health, not cancer,
while at the same time attacking cancerous cells
and tumors by exploiting their weaknesses.
• Cancer tumors begin when more cancerous cells
are being created than an overworked, depleted
immune system can destroy.
• Constant exposure to tens of thousands of
manmade chemicals from birth onward,
chlorinated and fluoridated water,
electromagnetic radiation, pesticides and other
toxins, leads to the creation of too many free
radicals and excessive numbers of cancerous
cells.
• Alone this would be enough to raise cancer levels,
but combined with an immune system weakened
by a diet of refined and over processed food,
mineral depleted soils, and too much exposure to
artificial light at night, the immune system at
some point no longer is able to keep cancer in
check and it starts to grow in your body.
• DID YOU KNOW: Research shows that the
immune system needs 9 1/2 hours of sleep in total
darkness to recharge completely -- the authors of
the book Lights Out explain. When was the last
time you had enough sleep?
• As a result of all this stress on our bodies and the
overload of toxins, what you get is a
malfunctioning immune system and a body that is
not capable of destroying the excessive numbers
of cancerous cells that develop. Some, sooner or
later, survive and multiply. And then you have
cancer.
• Overcoming cancer is a process of reversing the
conditions that allowed the cancer to develop, and
going after and killing cancerous cells.
• The exact causes don't have to be known, though
certainly the more varied the approaches taken to
correct those conditions, the more likely you are
going to hit on what works best in a particular
case. What needs to be done is to strongly and
dramatically interrupt and reverse these
cancer-causing conditions so that the body
becomes healthier, and no longer capable of
breeding cancer.
• The more cancer there is, the more serious the
condition -- meaning much has to be done -- fast.
In your personal situation it may be too late, or it
may not. No one knows where that cutoff point is
as even advanced cases can turn around.
• Now, what you are reading isn't about a cure for
cancer. It isn't medical advice. It is sort of like
information from the National Cancer Society that
one of the most important things you can do for
your health is to eat five servings of fruits and
vegetables a day. But much, much more potent.
You'll clearly understand what I mean as you read
on.
• One of the basics of fighting cancer is going on a
fairly low carbohydrate diet, especially sugars and
refined carbohydrates, because they digest
extremely fast and flood the body. Your body
must then produce a lot of insulin to get the sugar
into cells fast, and this feeds the cancer cells just
what they like to eat.
Cancer Weakness #1: High
Oxygen Levels Kill Cancer -
Low Oxygen Levels Breed
Cancer
Cancer Weakness #2: High
Acidity In The Body Fosters
Development Of Cancer
While A More Alkaline
Environment Keeps The
Body Cancer Free
 Cancer Weakness #3:
Methylglyoxal Stops Cancer
Cells From Proliferating
While A Lack Of
Methylgyloxal Allows
Cancer Cells To Multiply
 Cancer Weakness #4: A
Weakened Immune System
Leads To Cancer While A
Strong Immune System
Conquers Cancer
 Cancer Weakness
#5: Candida and Fungal
Infections Related To
Cancer Development
 Cancer Weakness #6: A
Buildup Of Toxins And
Chlorine Exposure Promote
Cancer
Cancer Weakness #7: Free
Radical Scavengers Protect
Cells From Cancer While
Too Many Free Radicals
Can Be Cancer Causing
 Cancer Weakness
#8: Enzymes Kill Cancer
Cells While Low Levels Of
Enzymes Are Implicated In
Cancer
 Pathology of Cancer in OM
• Any/all of the 3 causes of disease are
implicated.

• Four common patterns of disharmony:

– Phlegm accumulation
– Heat/Fire Toxins
– Qi & Blood Deficiency
– Qi & Blood Stagnation
 How Can Acupuncture
Help Cancer Patients?
• It is safe to use acupuncture concurrently with
Biomedical cancer treatments. It will not
interfere with pharmaceutical/radiation
treatment.
• Generally used as supportive treatment, to help
alleviate side effects of Biomedical treatments.
• Literature review of cancer-related
acupuncture research – Cohen and colleagues. 2

2. Cohen AJ, Menter A, Hale, L. Acupuncture: Role in Comprehensive Cancer Care – A Primer for the Oncologist
and Review of Literature. Integr Cancer Ther. 2005 Jun;4(2):131-43.
Cancer-Related Acupuncture Research
• MSKCC – Integrative Medicine – leader in
research
• Antiemetic effects – well documented, 1997 NIH
3
consensus statement
• Pain Control
• Fatigue
• Breathlessness
• Mood Disorders, QOL Issues
• Xerostomia
• Flushing (Breast and Prostate cancers)

3. Acupuncture. NIH Consensus Statement. 1997;15(5):1-34

 • Pain Control
– 48 patients with axillary pain after axillary node
dissection for breast cancer – acupuncture
group showed significantly more complete 4arm
abduction and less pain than control group.

– Alimi and colleagues – cancer patients w/stable

analgesic treatment with neuropathic pain – 90
patients, auricular acupuncture – 36%5 still had
reduced pain intensity at two months.

4. He JP, Friedrich M, Ertan AK, Muller K, Schmidt W. Pain-relief and movement improvement by acupuncture after ablation and
axillary lymphadenectomy in patients with mammary cancer. Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol. 1999;26:81-84.

5. Alimi D, Rubino C, Pichard-Leandri E, Fermand-Brule S, Dubreuil-Lemaire M-L, Hill C. Analgesic effect of auricular acupuncture
for cancer pain: a randomized, blinded, controlled trial. J Clin Oncol. 2003;21:4120-4126.
• Fatigue
– Phase II pilot study (MSKCC) – post-
chemotherapy fatigue – mean improvement
6
was 31.1%.

• Breathlessness
– Open Plot - Filshie and colleagues – 20 patients
with cancer-related breathlessness – 14 reported
marked symptomatic benefit with
7
commensurate physiological changes.

6. Vickers AJ, Straus DJ, Fearon B, Cassileth BR. Acupuncture for post-chemotherapy fatigue: a phase II study. J Clin Oncol.
2004;22:1731-1735.

7. Filshie J, Penn K, Ashley S, Davis CL. Acupuncture for the relief of cancer-related breathlessness. Palliat Med. 1996;10:145-150.
 Immune Effects
• Studies not specific to cancer, but have
shown:
– Increases in CD3+, CD4+ lymphocytes and
8
CD8+ cells.
– Increases in B lymphocytes & NK cell activity.
– Modulation of B and T cells that favors
9
antibody production.

8. Spiegel D, Stroud P, Fyfe A. Complementary medicine. West J Med. 1998;168:241-247.

9. Petti F, Bangrazi A, Liquori A, Reale G, Ippoliti F. Effects of acupuncture on immune response related
to opioid-like peptides. J Tradit Chin Med. 1998;18(1):55-63.
 Current Clinical Trials

• Head and neck pain related to head and neck

cancer surgery – Phase III (MSKCC)
• Hot flashes from breast cancer – Phase III
(MSKCC)
• Reducing symptoms in advanced colorectal
cancer – Phase I (Univ. of Pittsburgh Med.
Center)

Source: http://nccam.nih.gov/clinicaltrials/acupuncture.htm
 Research Conclusions
“As for oncologists in the community or in academic
centers, in light of our current understanding of
acupuncture and its efficacy, it seems reasonable to suggest
its use for patients with difficult-to-control chemotherapy-
induced side effects such as pain, fatigue, nausea and
vomiting, xerostomia and mood disorders. There may be
additional benefits to patients in terms of quality of life,
hot flashes, peripheral neuropathy, alopecia, neutropenia,
anorexia, constipation and spiritual connection, but these
have not yet been well documented in the literature.”

(Cohen, Menter, Hale, p. 141)

 Other Reasons to Refer for
Acupuncture Treatment
• Any of the following:
– Digestive complaints
– Bowel and/or Urinary problems
– Depression, anxiety
– Other pain issues
– General immune support – low blood
counts
 Further Information
• Websites:
– www.yinyanghouse.com (general info)
– www.acupuncturetoday.com (general)
– www.acubriefs.com (acupuncture research)
– www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/1979.cfm
– ww.medicalacupuncture.org
– www.nccam.nih.gov/clinicaltrials
 References
1. Langevin HM, Churchill DM, Cipolla MJ. Mechanical signaling through
connective tissue: a mechanism for the therapeutic effect of acupuncture.
FASEB J. 2001;15:2275-2282.
2. Cohen AJ, Menter A, Hale, L. Acupuncture: Role in Comprehensive Cancer
Care – A Primer for the Oncologist and Review of Literature. Integr Cancer
Ther. 2005 Jun;4(2):131-43.
3. He JP, Friedrich M, Ertan AK, Muller K, Schmidt W. Pain-relief and movement
improvement by acupuncture after ablation and axillary lymphadenectomy in
patients with mammary cancer. Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol. 1999;26:81-84.
4. Alimi D, Rubino C, Pichard-Leandri E, Fermand-Brule S, Dubreuil-Lemaire M-
L, Hill C. Analgesic effect of auricular acupuncture for cancer pain: a
randomized, blinded, controlled trial. J Clin Oncol. 2003;21:4120-4126.
5. Vickers AJ, Straus DJ, Fearon B, Cassileth BR. Acupuncture for post-
chemotherapy fatigue: a phase II study. J Clin Oncol. 2004;22:1731-1735.
6. Filshie J, Penn K, Ashley S, Davis CL. Acupuncture for the relief of cancer-
related breathlessness. Palliat Med. 1996;10:145-150.
7. Spiegel D, Stroud P, Fyfe A. Complementary medicine. West J Med.
1998;168:241-247.
8. Petti F, Bangrazi A, Liquori A, Reale G, Ippoliti F. Effects of acupuncture on
immune response related to opioid-like peptides. J Tradit Chin Med.
1998;18(1):55-63.