Support During Chemotherapy
Acupuncture For Support During Chemotherapy, An Overview:
Chemotherapy is a vital part of modern cancer treatment, but it can also bring significant physical and emotional challenges.
Many people experience changes in energy, appetite, sleep, digestion or mood as they move through treatment. It is common to look for supportive therapies that can help create moments of steadiness and grounding during this time.
Acupuncture is often used alongside medical cancer care as a complementary approach. While it does not treat cancer or replace conventional treatment, many individuals seek it for the sense of calm, stability and emotional support it can offer. Some people describe their sessions as a chance to pause, breathe and reconnect with themselves - something that can feel valuable during a process that is often fast-paced and demanding.
Five-Element acupuncture looks at the whole person rather than focusing solely on symptoms. It takes into account the physical, emotional and constitutional landscape of each individual, offering space for balance, reflection and integration at a time when many aspects of life may feel disrupted.
This page explores how acupuncture is used in supportive cancer care, from both a Western and a Five-Element perspective; and how it may help people feel more grounded, settled and supported throughout chemotherapy.
A Classical Five-Element Approach
Johnny Childs practises classical Five-Element acupuncture from Kite Clinic, Marylebone, and Liberty London.
His work is grounded in the classical tradition, with a contemporary focus on emotional health, fertility, and the regulation of the nervous system.
He supports people navigating fertility treatment, hormonal imbalance, stress, and complex or long-standing conditions, working at a deeper, constitutional level to restore balance over time.
“Recovery is not simply about wound healing. It is about restoring internal equilibrium”
— Johnny Childs
Acupuncture as Support During Chemotherapy: A Western Perspective
From a Western medical perspective, acupuncture is sometimes included in supportive cancer-care services.
A Five-Element Perspective on Chemotherapy Support
In Five-Element acupuncture, the focus is not solely on symptoms but on the person moving through them.
This approach recognises the full experience of chemotherapy, the physical fatigue, emotional uncertainty, shifting identity and the sheer intensity of an unfamiliar landscape. Treatment holds space for all of this, honouring the individual rather than the condition.
Five-Element theory works with the interplay of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water; each connected to different aspects of physical, emotional and mental life. During challenging periods, these Elements may feel strained, depleted or out of step with one another. Treatment explores these patterns with the aim of supporting a greater sense of coherence, steadiness and inner connection.
Acupuncture sessions often offer a quiet, restorative pause, a moment of stillness within a process that can feel clinical, fast-paced or overwhelming. Many people describe this time as a chance to reconnect with themselves, their breath and the inner resources that can feel harder to access during treatment.
How Acupuncture Is Used During Chemotherapy
What the Research Says
Research into acupuncture during chemotherapy is ongoing, and findings vary depending on the symptom being studied.
Acupuncture is not a treatment for cancer, but several respected health organisations acknowledge that it may offer supportive benefits in specific areas.
The NHS also states that acupuncture is sometimes used to support people experiencing symptoms or side effects related to cancer treatment, including feeling sick after chemotherapy.
NHS – Acupuncture uses
The World Health Organization (WHO) includes acupuncture in its review of clinical trials, citing supportive evidence for its potential role in managing some treatment-related side effects, including nausea linked to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
WHO Review & Analysis of Controlled Clinical Trials (2003)
Cancer Research UK highlights that some studies suggest acupuncture may help with certain symptoms associated with cancer treatment — such as feeling sick or anxious — although it emphasises that more high-quality research is needed.
Cancer Research UK – Acupuncture and cancer care
Overall, the evidence suggests that acupuncture may offer emotional or physical support for some individuals undergoing chemotherapy, particularly around nausea. However, effects differ from person to person, and acupuncture should always be used as a complementary therapy alongside medical treatment, not a replacement for it.
Appointments & Enquires
If you are considering acupuncture as part of your fertility journey, you are welcome to get in touch to discuss whether this approach feels appropriate for you. Appointments are available at Kite Clinic and Liberty London.
DISCOVER HOW ACUPUNCTURE COULD SUPPORT YOU
The areas below offer a guide to how treatment is approached across a range of common concerns.
Important note:
Acupuncture is offered here as a holistic and complementary therapy, drawing on Five-Element principles and informed by traditional Chinese medicine. Many people find it supportive, although responses vary and outcomes cannot be guaranteed. Claims about potential benefits depend on the condition and the quality of available research.
Evidence from observational studies and systematic reviews — including guidance from organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and, where relevant, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) — suggests that acupuncture may support wellbeing and help with certain symptoms. However, it should not be considered a replacement for medical diagnosis or treatment.
Each treatment is tailored to the individual, and experiences differ from person to person. If you have a medical condition or are under the care of a GP or specialist, please continue with your prescribed treatment plan. Acupuncture can be used alongside medical care, and it is advisable to discuss any changes with your healthcare provider.