Acupuncture helps neuropathy caused by chemotherapy
Pioneering research by The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, UK has found that acupuncture can help patients who suffer from neuropathy, a debilitating numbness, which can be caused by chemotherapy.
Helen Lowell, 77, was one of the patients on the trial. Having received chemotherapy for cancer of the womb, she found neuropathy to be a side effect of the treatment she received at The Christie 18 months ago.
“I had to give up driving.” Helen explained. “It was also small everyday things I struggled with, like fastening a necklace and tying shoelaces. And the pen would slip when I tried to write. I finished my treatment nearly a year ago but the neuropathy remained a problem. The acupuncture did its job and my symptoms have reduced and I’m driving again. I enjoy lace-making and embroidery, and I can do that again. And my writing is much better now. I’m really pleased with the difference the acupuncture has made.”
Professor Andrew Wardley, oncologist at The Christie and chief investigator said: “We believed acupuncture could help patients with chemo-induced peripheral neuropathy. A study of this size had not been undertaken before. We hope this trial will lead to a new standard of care for treating this condition, improving the lives of millions of patients.”
Read the Press Release here.