Acupuncture For The Management Of Hot Flashes In Breast Cancer Survivors

Download or read book Acupuncture for the Management of Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer Survivors written by Hollis McClellan Misiewicz and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 85 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the United States, more women are diagnosed with breast cancer than any other type of cancer. As earlier diagnosis and new treatment modalities increase survival for these women, health care practitioners must address long-term problems secondary to cancer therapy. The development of severe hot flashes, affecting up to 85% of breast cancer survivors, can significantly affect quality of life. Many hot flash treatments are ineffective, have intolerable side effects, or are contraindicated for breast cancer survivors. Research supports the use of acupuncture as an effective, safe treatment for minimizing hot flashes in breast cancer survivors. Purpose: The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to determine if acupuncture is effective at decreasing the number and severity of hot flashes and improving sleep in breast cancer survivors at an urban hospital. The acceptability of acupuncture as a treatment for hot flashes was also explored. Design: The study design for this project was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design. Qualitative data was also obtained by interview after participants completed acupuncture treatments. Methods: Eligible women completed a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and recorded hot flash frequency and severity in a hot flash diary for a week before and after acupuncture treatment. Acceptability of acupuncture was assessed using a Likert Scale (1-10). Participants received twice weekly acupuncture treatments for four weeks. Pre and post acupuncture hot flash frequency and severity, PSQI sleep disturbance score, and acceptability ratings were compared. Participants were interviewed and descriptions of the acupuncture experience examined for themes. Results: Paired t-test revealed significant improvement in night time hot flash frequency (p = 0.04) and severity (p = 0.001). Daytime hot flash severity significantly improved (p