Iris Cole interviews Prof. Ido Wolf of Ichilov about the developments in the field of cancer (Walla system!)
Unfortunately, cancer is one of the most common diseases in Israel and the world.
It has a thousand faces and expressions and is actually not one disease but a series of diseases in which the body's cells divide in an uncontrolled manner.
Each type of cancer has a different character and it can even manifest itself in a different way in each person.
However, one thing most cancers have in common is pain.
40 percent of cancer patients in the early or middle stages of the disease report moderate to severe pain.
When it comes to advanced cancer, 90 percent of patients report moderate to severe pain.
Moreover, the vast majority of cancer patients report that they do not get adequate pain relief.
This is manifested in a decrease in their quality of life in all respects, sometimes also in a poor coping with the disease itself as well as in very high doses of painkillers, which are sometimes associated with unwanted side effects.
Its positive effect has been well researched and proven.
Acupuncture (Photo: ShutterStock)
The pain of cancer patients can be caused by the cancer itself, which may invade organs, soft tissues, nerves and bones, or by the cancer treatments, which include chemotherapy, radiation, hormones and surgery.
However, there are effective and safe natural treatments for the pain experienced by cancer patients.
Acupuncture is one of these treatments and in fact its positive effect has been well researched and proven.
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How does acupuncture treat pain caused by cancer?
Acupuncture mechanisms for treating cancer pain are considered similar to treating other painful conditions, whether the pain is classified as acute or chronic.
Acupuncture has been proven to activate the body's natural pain relief mechanism and increase the body's own opioid levels.
A number of other biochemicals involved in the body's natural pain reduction system have been found to be released and regulated by acupuncture stimulation, these include ATP, adenosine, GABA and substance P.11.
In addition to this, acupuncture has also been shown to reduce activity in parts of the brain associated with pain perception and to increase activity in brain areas associated with improved self-regulation.
Acupuncture has also been found to improve quality of life and may alleviate other symptoms that bother the cancer patient such as lack of sleep, fatigue, digestive system symptoms, anxiety, mood and more.
Although acupuncture has been found to be effective and safe for the cancer patient, it is very important to note that acupuncture is a personalized mechanism and its treatment must be adapted to the patient and his condition.
A skilled and responsible therapist will perform a diagnosis and condition assessment and only then will he perform the treatment.
The frequency of treatment can also change and range from a rate of three treatments a week to a treatment once a week in order to achieve significant relief.
Due to the lack of regulation in the State of Israel with regard to Chinese medicine therapists, we recommend that the patient examine the therapist's certification certificates and make sure that the person who is going to treat him has studied at least 4 years of Chinese medicine at a school recognized by the professional association.
The writer is the director of the Reedman College School of Chinese Medicine
health
Alternative Medicine
Tags
cancer
acupuncture
