Thursday, November 13, 2008

Are Acupressure and Cancer Simpatico?

This is an issue that comes up for acupressure practitioners like myself. As with most significant questions, there isn't one answer.

In fact, the discussion of this brings up more questions? What kind of cancer? How is the dog's general vitality? Are they in hospice?

There are some that believe acupressure/acupuncture are not appropriate for those with cancer because it will stimulate the cancer itself, or cause cancer cells to disperse to other areas of the body. Is this possible? I don't know. I'm not sure if anyone does, or if it's dependent on the type of cancer, or a collection of factors.

There is another way of looking at it, which is looking at the animal as a whole, the vitality, condition, whether there is pain or inappetence, is there phlegm stagnation, etc., then using acupressure in accordance with TCM (traditional chinese medicine) principles.

This is also the time to bring up other branches of TCM - food and herbs in particular. Are these being used?

I don't pretend that acupressure can cure cancer. I do believe that given the right circumstances a TCM approach can do an amazing job against it. At the very least as a support to western clinical practice. I got my dogs growth removed surgically, after all.

I always look at cancer in context, not as a singular diagnosis. How else can one live?

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