Integrated Oncology | Acupuncture as integrative treatment |Sinomedica

Integrative treatment for cancer diseases

Cancer diagnoses and cancer treatments often cause severe psychological distress, insecurity, anxiety, insomnia, pain and depression. These reactions affect the course of the disease and impair the patient's quality of life.

Acupuncture has become a valid approach to support conventional oncological treatments. Acupuncture reduces some of the side effects that accompany cancer treatments, including those caused by surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Evidence demonstrates that acupuncture also reduces nausea, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety and depression and other symptoms related to conventional treatments.
Acupuncture increases natural killer cell activity, aids digestion, improves sleep quality, increases energy, and supports a healthy immune system.

Breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. In Switzerland, around 6300 women get breast cancer each year.

Research shows acupuncture is effective managing treatments side effects. It relieves some of the symptoms related to chemotherapy treatments such as nausea, fatigue and stress, improving the quality of sleep and overall well-being. Additionally, studies suggests that regular acupuncture treatments reduces the risk of recurrence in breast cancer patients.

Acupuncture against the side effects of cancer

Numerous scientific articles support the role of acupuncture as a complementary therapy and demonstrated that it relieves cancer related symptoms and side effects.

Some symptoms treated with acupuncture in oncology:

Nausea/vomiting related to chemo- and radiotherapy treatments, anticipatory and postoperative nausea
Flushing secondary to pharmacologically induced menopause
Cancer related pain and postoperative pain
Fatigue control (extreme physical, emotional and cognitive fatigue)
Mood (anxiety, depression, stress) and sleep disorders.

PAIRING ACUPUNCTURE WITH TREATMENT

How does it work?

As an integrative treatment of cancer diseases, acupuncture reduces side effects due to chemotherapy and radiation therapy (nausea, vomiting, pain, anxiety, and fatigue), helps to better cope with a difficult situation psychologically, and to regain mental and physical balance. However, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy remain indispensable cornerstones of the conventional treatment of cancer.

Appointment

You can book an appointment online or by calling one of our Sinomedica centers.

Anamnesis and diagnosis

Your doctor will review your medical history, assess your situation and provide a medical diagnosis.

Treatment plan

A treatment plan will be adapted to your specific needs, in order to maximize the benefits of the therapy.

Treatment and monitoring

Every step of your personalized treatment will be monitored to ensure maximum benefits and results.

Testimonials

Woman (age 48)Metastatic breast cancer

I had been told about the good effects of acupuncture for managing cancer and chemo-related ailments, so I decided to give it a try. I started the 7-session cycle, and from session to session I have unequivocally noticed the steady increase in energy and decrease in intensity and frequency of headaches.

Woman (age 40)Breast cancer

Hormone therapy was giving me many problems, especially insomnia and flushing. I was offered a course of 7 acupuncture sessions, and the benefits I experienced were even more profound than I expected. In fact, in addition to finding great benefit in counteracting some of the side effects of cancer therapy, the acupuncture sessions were almost a psychological support.

Treatment duration

For the maximum benefit of the treatment’s effect, it is key to follow our design and ensure regularity of medical sessions. Based on clinical experience and scientific evidence, medical acupuncture is delivering long-term benefits triggered by treatment cumulative effect. It has been demonstrated that patients following treatment guidelines reach their optimal treatment results over time.

Risks

Thousands of years of acupuncture practice, scientific evidence, patients and medical practitioners confirm that there are no side effects related to medical acupuncture. Very seldom there may be negligible and temporary mild soreness or bruising. With the use of disposable sterile needles there is no risk of diseases transmission nor infection.

Price and costs

First session

First session

Anamnesis, diagnosis and acupuncture treatment between 60 minutes to 90 minutes.

Costs*: CHF 170 /CHF 160 in Ticino.

*Administrative fee of CHF 10 included.

Follow-up session

Follow-up session

Medical assessment and acupuncture treatment. Between 45 minutes and to 60 minutes.

Costs*: CHF 150 / CHF 130 in Ticino

*Administrative fee of CHF 10 included.

Health insurance

Health insurance

Reimbursement for medical acupuncture depends on your complementary insurance policy. Financial coverage is specific to your policy, therefore please check in advance with your insurance what the coverage conditions are.

SINOMEDICA UNIQUENESS

Scientific and medical foundations

Sinomedica's unique medical acupuncture treatment approach is built on a wealth of knowledge which combines acupuncture and conventional medicine with the latest scientific findings to deliver effective patient-centered medical care.

Our highly qualified specialists, graduates in both Chinese and conventional medicine, practice the unique Sinomedica approach to deliver effective and innovative medical acupuncture.

Link to scientific studies

Acupuncture and integrated oncology

Integrative treatment for cancer diseases

How does it work?

Testimonials

Treatment duration

Risks

Price and costs

Scientific and medical foundations

Nine medical acupuncture centers in Switzerland

Basel

Bern

Chiasso

Genève

Lausanne

Locarno

Lucerne

Lugano

Zürich

Want to learn more about the topic?

Acupuncture: a cure for the side effects of cancer therapies