There are literally hundreds of complementary treatments. While some treatments have been studied in breast cancer patients, others have not. We have noted which treatments have and have not been studied in breast cancer patients. ALWAYS check with your doctor before beginning any complementary treatment.

Although not every complementary technique is listed here, we've included information about the most widely used complementary techniques.

Acupuncture *, In acupuncture, sterile, hair-thin needles are inserted into specific points on the skin, called "acupuncture points," and then gently moved. Researchers propose that acupuncture stimulates the nervous system to release natural painkillers and immune system cells. They then travel to weakened areas of the body and relieve symptoms.

The most thorough study of acupuncture in breast cancer patients was published in Journal of the American Medical Association in 2000. In the study, 104 women undergoing high-dose chemotherapy were given traditional anti-nausea medication. In addition to taking the medication, the women were randomly chosen to receive 5 days of electroacupuncture (acupuncture in which needles are stimulated with a mild electrical current), acupuncture without an electrical current, or no acupuncture. The women who had acupuncture had significantly fewer nausea episodes than those who didn't.

Kettering Cancer Center, acupuncture was shown to reduce post-chemotherapy fatigue by 31% in people with various types of cancer. In 2005, another preliminary study of breast cancer patients in Sweden showed that acupuncture reduced hot flashes by half. While doctors find these results encouraging, they are still very early results and require further study.

Aromatherapy is a practice in which scented oils are inhaled through the nose or rubbed on the body during a massage.

Research in cancer patients has shown that aromatherapy may help relieve:

• anxiety
• depression
• nausea
• high blood pressure

The oils used in aromatherapy, called "essential oils," are the highly concentrated extracts of flowers, leaves, stems, roots, seeds, bark, resin, or fruit rinds. Essential oils can be purchased in most health food stores.

The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy reports that commonly used oils can have the following benefits:

• Headache relief: Peppermint
• Immune system stimulation: Eucalyptus, rosemary, tea tree
• Muscle tension relief: Chamomile, clary sage, eucalyptus, peppermint, ylang ylang
• Indigestion relief: Peppermint
• Relaxation: Ylang ylang, geranium, lavender, lemon, clary sage, and chamomile
• Respiratory problem relief: Eucalyptus

Chiropractic Therapy* focuses on the relationship between the body's structure — mainly the spine — and the body's function. Doctors of chiropractic, who are also called chiropractors or chiropractic physicians, mostly use a type of hands-on therapy called manipulation (or adjustment). Chiropractic therapy is used most often to treat musculoskeletal conditions — problems with the muscles, joints, bones, and connective tissue such as cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

The basic concepts of chiropractic therapy can be described as follows:
The body has a powerful ability to heal itself.

The body's structure (mainly the spine) and its function are closely related, and this relationship affects health.

Chiropractic therapy is given with the goal of normalizing the relationship between structure and function and helping the body as it heals.

Studies have shown that chiropractic therapy can help relieve headaches and back and joint pain in women who have had breast cancer treatment. Other studies have looked at using chiropractic therapy to relieve menopausal symptoms in breast cancer survivors, but the results were mixed.