Conditions
Breast Cancer Support
Dr. Namrata Chansarkar’s Story
Dr. Namrata Chansarkar is a breast cancer survivor. During remission, she started acupuncture as a supplemental treatment and benefited greatly from it. Her experience with acupuncture inspired Dr. Namrata Chansarkar to become an acupuncturist. Supporting breast cancer patients and survivors is her passion, and she’s humbled to be able to serve them.
Acupuncture for Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy around the world. Incidence in US is 1 in 8 women (~12 %). After a cancer diagnosis, a whirlwind of activity begins: lots of tests, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation followed by medications such as Tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors. Although conventional medicine offers best chances of survival, the treatments can be challenging to tolerate with many unpleasant side effects. Though breast cancer is a challenging journey, along with western medicine, acupuncture is a holistic way to synergize the body, mind, and spirit. In acupuncture, we use sterile, single use, hair-thin needles to stimulate certain points and restore balance in the body. Research suggests that acupuncture stimulates the nervous system to release natural neurotransmitters/painkillers and improve the immune system. Then these natural compounds travel to weakened areas of body to help relieve symptoms.
How can Acupuncture help you?
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can provide a safe, natural, non-Pharmacologic and effective way to manage adverse side effects of conventional western medical treatments and increase compliance of conventional treatments. Such numerous benefits of acupuncture are listed below:
- Chemotherapy and Radiation: Acupuncture is effective in minimizing side effects of Chemotherapy such as nausea(1), vomiting(1), dry mouth(1), and Chemo Brain(1&2). Acupuncture can also help reduce post-operative pain and fatigue(1).
- Peripheral neuropathy: Another common side effect of Chemotherapy is peripheral neuropathy which causes balance and co-ordination issues in breast cancer patients. Acupuncture is effective in reducing Chemo induced peripheral neuropathy in breast cancer patients(3).
- Hot Flashes / Night Sweats: Common side effect of Tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors is hot flashes. Research indicates that acupuncture can help relieve hot flashes(1,4,5).
- Joint pain: Muscle and Joint pain is a common side effect of aromatase inhibitor (AI) in breast cancer patients. Acupuncture is a safe and viable non-pharmacologic treatment option for AI related joint pain in breast cancer patient’s taking AI(1, 6).
References:
- https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/acupuncture-pdq#link/_57.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5963738/.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28150504.
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/multimedia/vid-20078410.
- http://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/JCO.2015.63.289
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28384564.