Dry Mouth in Cancer Treatment: Holistic Solutions with Acupuncture

by Antonia Balfour, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac. & C.H.

Xerostomia, or dry mouth due to decreased or absent saliva flow, is a commonly seen symptom that occurs during radiation, following chemotherapy, or as a side-effect of other medications.

Dry mouth causes general discomfort that most find frustrating and annoying. Further, it often leads to other symptoms such as trouble swallowing, damaged taste buds, or an inability to move food around in the mouth – all of which make it difficult to enjoy food. In some cases, the lack of saliva causes bad breath or a sudden increase in dental cavities. Dry mouth can also cause difficulties with speech.

Acupuncture has been shown to dramatically increase salivation in cancer patients. Acupuncture is a technique used in Chinese medicine wherein extremely thin needles are placed at specific points around the body. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, acupuncture can be used to increase “yin” throughout the body. “Yin” is the essence that creates moisture and body fluids. Modern medicine confirms the efficacy of acupuncture through the use of functional brain scans that show acupuncture activating the brain area responsible for salivation.

In a Swedish clinical study, the long-term efficacy of acupuncture for patients with dry mouth was tested. Acupuncture treatment resulted in “significant improvement” in saliva production for up to six months. Continued treatment maintained improvement for up to three years.

Cancer, the journal of The American Cancer Society, published a 2002 study concluding that acupuncture following radiation palliates dry mouth for many patients. A regimen of three to four weekly treatments followed by monthly sessions is now recommended, although some patients achieve lasting response without ongoing therapy.

In a 2008 presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, preliminary results of a controlled trial were presented showing significant reductions in pain, dysfunction, and xerostomia in patients receiving acupuncture following neck dissection for cancer.

In addition, Weidong Lu at Harvard’s Dana-Farber Cancer Center received a Career Development Award from the National Institutes of Health to focus on the benefits of acupuncture on head and neck cancer patients dealing with pain, difficulty swallowing, and dry mouth. This is the first time this prestigious five-year grant has been given to an integrative therapy practitioner.

For cancer patients and others, acupuncture is a valuable modality used in conjunction with modern medicine for integrative healing. Treatment with acupuncture involves addressing the whole person, not just one symptom such as dry mouth. An acupuncturist with training in cancer care will treat both physical and emotional imbalances during each acupuncture session. Additional benefits of acupuncture during and after cancer treatment include alleviating pain and discomfort, benefiting sleep and insomnia, calming anxiety and agitation, and overcoming fatigue. Conditions such as peripheral neuropathy, hot flashes, and digestive disorders such as nausea, constipation, and diarrhea are also effectively treated with acupuncture.