A study found that acupuncture and massage are effective in treating musculoskeletal pain in advanced stages of cancer. The study was published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
The trial included 298 patients with advanced cancer or inoperable tumors. On average, patients had pain for about four years, and more than half of them were taking painkillers. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. 150 received acupuncture and 148 received massage from certified physical therapists experienced in cancer care.
After 26 weeks, more than 50% of patients who received acupuncture or massage had reduced pain and fatigue, improved sleep and quality of life, and were less dependent on pain medications. There was no significant difference in the effectiveness of the two types of treatment. While the most common side effects of massage were local pain and headache, acupuncture was observed to include bleeding, bruising and pain at the needle site.
In acupuncture treatment, 10-20 needles are inserted at an appropriate depth into four or more points on the body near the area of maximum pain for approximately 20 minutes. Electrical stimulation has also been used in patients without an implanted electromedical device. Massage therapy started with breathing exercises, neck relaxation and rib mobilization for five minutes, followed by massaging the painful area for 20 minutes. Light to moderate pressure was applied, and techniques included stretching, compression, post-isometric release, effleurage, myofascial release, and trigger point manipulation.
The study was limited by the lack of a sham or control group, so it is possible that the patients’ recovery was partially or entirely due to self-hypnosis.
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