New Therapy Helps Fight Cancer Pain

A new study out of the University of Kentucky shows that patients reported significant improvement in side effects of cancer treatment after just one session of "Jin Shin Jyutsu." This modern style of touch therapy is based on philosophies similar to those behind the ancient acupuncture. Maybe we should know a little more about it.

The study included 159 current cancer patients. Before and after each Jin Shin Jyutsu session, patients were asked to assess their symptoms of pain, stress and nausea on a scale of 0-10 (0 being no symptoms).

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In each session, patients experienced significant improvement in the areas of pain, stress, and nausea. This happened as early as the first visit, and in subsequent visits as well. The average decreases experienced were three points for stress and two points for both pain and nausea.

This suggests that touch therapy has actual improvements for patients who are in serious discomfort. Regardless of age, sex, or diagnosis, cancer patients received a statistically significant improvement in the side effects from treatment. Jin Shin Jyutsu led to these improvements without adding any side effects.

Jin Shin Jyutsu was actually created by the university's cancer center, and is part of their integrative treatment plan. Jin Shin Jyutsu is offered to all cancer patients at no charge. Maybe it's time this beneficial cancer therapy addition was more widespread.

In this touch therapy, patients receive light touches on 52 specific energetic points as well as fingers, toes, and midpoints on the upper arm, upper calf, and lower leg in predetermined orders known as "flows." The longer the session, the more improvements reported.

The American Cancer Society has noted that quality of life is an issue for all cancer patients, including those newly diagnosed, those undergoing treatment, late-stage patients, and survivors. There is always a need for more research into ways that quality of life can be enhanced, so that the burden of the disease is limited as much as possible.

There may be considerable potential with something like Jin Shin Jyutsu. The idea of touch therapy, of gentle massage in specific spots, could be used across the nation.