This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2021 and is being used to promote the fact that women should go for a medical check-up even if they have no symptoms, because “it might save your life”.
Early signs of breast cancer can be a lump in a breast, a painful breast or armpit, or a discharge from the nipple. A doctor will usually perform a manual examination and send the patient for a mammogram. This is painless and only takes about ten minutes.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month states that even if there are any symptoms, in many cases they are perfectly harmless. Pain can be a sign of a cyst, or a lump may be benign, but it is better to be certain.
If the mammogram shows a lump, the doctor will order a biopsy. This test will show if the lump is benign (harmless) or malignant (cancerous). If the lump is cancerous there’s still no reason to panic. Early detection is a life saver. By way of a simple operation the lump is removed after which the doctor will discuss further options with you.
Pilot Study
A pilot study on women with breast cancer was undertaken in Australia in 2017, and during the research all of the participants used acupuncture. 62% also used Chinese herbal medicine, 23% used Qigong, and 23% used Chinese dietary therapy. At Acubody, we use both acupuncture and Chinese herbs in London.
The Australian study found that breast cancer survivors reported that they had increased coping mechanisms, and that the treatments helped to relieve stress and the side-effects of standard treatment. Some cited the need to have “time-out” and the therapeutic relationship with the practitioner as being important (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5590056/).
The study concluded that it was clear that there is a need to understand breast cancer survivors’ requirements for physical and psychological support as they endeavour to regain control over their life after their experience of the illness. It also found that more studies were needed in order to measure and evaluate the outcomes and identify ways of support that would address their physical, spiritual, and emotional needs.
At Acubody, we can provide you with both acupuncture and Chinese herbs in order to help deal with the understandable stresses caused by such an illness. This service is supportive and can help quality of life etc. There are many different Chinese herbs, and they can be used in combination to help sufferers relax and rebuild their lives.
