A new study has found that twice-weekly acupuncture treatments may relieve symptoms of xerostomia in patients receiving radiation treatment for head and neck cancer, according to an ADA News article.
The study looked at 19 patients with xerostomia who had completed radiation therapy at least four weeks earlier and received two acupuncture treatments each week for four weeks, the article stated.
"In this pilot study, patients with severe xerostomia who underwent acupuncture showed improvements in physical well-being and in subjective symptoms," said Mark S. Chambers, D.M.D., a professor in the Department of Dental Oncology at the University of Texas, according to the article. "Although the patient population was small, the positive results are encouraging and warrant a larger trial to assess patients over a longer period of time."
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