| The Causes of Breast Cancer | | | | cysts. These imbalances might not necessarily lead to |
| Each year in the United States almost 200,000 | | | | cancer but they are the underlying disease |
| women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. While | | | | mechanisms that we find in almost all breast diseases, |
| there is an abundance of information on Western | | | | including cancer. |
| biomedical treatments, treatments for the prevention | | | | In the acupuncture clinic, our women patients come |
| of breast cancer are relatively unknown. While many | | | | to see us because they have one or more of these |
| women have a genetic predisposition to this disease, | | | | symptoms that are disrupting their everyday life. |
| many others do not. In both cases there are steps | | | | Some of the most common breast complaints seen |
| they can take to prevent breast cancer from | | | | in the clinic are: |
| occurring. And while this article is addressed to | | | | • Premenstrual breast pain and soreness |
| women, breast cancer can and does occur in men | | | | • Fibroadenomas (benign masses) |
| although they number less than 2% of all recorded | | | | • Cysts (fluid filled sacs) |
| cases. | | | | • Breast abscesses (mastitis) |
| Some of the causative factors include poor diet, lack | | | | The Acupuncture Treatment for Breast Disease |
| of exercise, accumulated physical and mental stress, | | | | Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are the |
| environment toxins such as food additives, | | | | two main treatment methods of professional Chinese |
| contaminated water, and pesticides, and prolonged | | | | medicine. In general, the more there are physical |
| hormonal (estrogen) exposure of the breast tissue | | | | changes in the breast tissue, the more the emphasis |
| due to endogenous and external factors. | | | | should be placed on herbal medicine versus |
| The Chinese Medical View of Breast Cancer | | | | acupuncture. Having said that, acupuncture is an |
| According to the principles of TCM (Traditional | | | | extremely important part of the process because of |
| Chinese Medicine), many diseases of the breast are | | | | its almost immediate effects in the relief of swelling, |
| related and have the same underlying disease | | | | pain, and anxiety. |
| mechanisms. Because Chinese medicine can diagnose | | | | When the appropriate acupuncture points are |
| these mechanisms before symptoms appear, we can | | | | needled, blockages to the flow of Qi are removed |
| catch these diseases in their early stages. And, in | | | | and stagnant Qi and fluids will begin to disperse. This |
| fact, if we catch these diseases in their early stages, | | | | is one of the mechanisms of acupuncture and one of |
| we can prevent them from progressing to more | | | | the reasons for the quick reduction of pain and |
| serious disease stages such as cancer. | | | | swelling. |
| From a Chinese medical prospective, all breast | | | | By far the most common ailment among women is |
| diseases have stagnation as the root cause. In the | | | | breast soreness and pain during the week leading up |
| Chinese medical view, the body is traversed by the | | | | to menstruation. And although, by itself, it is not |
| channels of acupuncture. The life force, called Qi | | | | considered dangerous, it is important to correct this |
| (pronounced chee), circulates through these channels | | | | problem to prevent its progression into something |
| on a continuous basis. Any interruption or blockage of | | | | more serious. |
| this flow will result in an imbalance either in the local | | | | As soon as PMS breast symptoms appear, treatment |
| area or in the entire system. | | | | with acupuncture should start and be repeated as |
| In Chinese medicine there is a saying," If there is free | | | | frequently as possible until the first day of |
| flow, there is no pain. If there is pain, there is no free | | | | menstruation. This protocol is repeated again the |
| flow." So, if there is pain, what is it that is not | | | | next month and if the patient has been following her |
| flowing? In TCM, there are three things that are | | | | practitioner's advice about diet and lifestyle, the |
| flowing. It is the Qi, the Blood and the Body fluids. | | | | symptoms should be less severe and less prolonged. |
| Since Qi is the force that moves the Blood and Body | | | | This process should be continued until the symptoms |
| Fluids, a blockage of Qi will also result in a disruption | | | | have disappeared. Most cases of premenstrual breast |
| to the flow of the blood and lymph fluids. | | | | distention can be resolved in 3 - 6 menstrual cycles. |
| If the Qi is obstructed, this is called Qi stagnation and | | | | By keeping the Qi of the breast unobstructed and |
| there might be distention, pain or lumps. If the Blood | | | | free flowing, not only are we preventing PMS breast |
| is not flowing, this is called Blood stasis, and there can | | | | soreness, we are dealing with the same exact |
| be intense, stabbing pain or clots in the menstrual | | | | disease mechanisms that create tumors, cysts, and, |
| blood. And finally, if the fluids are not flowing, this is | | | | yes, breast cancer. |
| called damp accumulation or phlegm nodulation, and | | | | My next article will focus on Chinese & Western |
| there can be a feeling of swollenness, heaviness or | | | | dietary therapy and their role in cancer prevention. |