Acupuncture Benefits Breast Cancer Patients

Acupuncture may be just as effective as conventional medicine when it comes to reducing hot flashes in breast cancer patients - and might also lead to increased sex drive and enhanced wellbeing. That's the finding of a recent study comparing the effects of Effexor (a medication commonly used to manage the side effects of breast cancer treatment) with those of acupuncture (a needle-based therapy long used in traditional Chinese medicine).

For the study, researchers randomly assigned 50 breast cancer patients to undergo treatment with either acupuncture or Effexor for 12 weeks. Those in the acupuncture group received treatments twice weekly for the first four weeks, then once a week for the remaining eight weeks.

A year after the treatment period ended, researchers analyzed data on the participants and found that both groups initially experienced a 50 percent drop in hot flashes and depressive symptoms. However, the researchers also found that - while the acupuncture group continued to experience minimal hot flashes after the treatment period was over - the Effexor group saw a significant increase in hot flashes. What's more, women in the acupuncture group reported an increase in sex drive, as well as improvements in energy, sense of wellbeing, and clarity of thought.