Integrative Medicine for Pain Management in Oncology

Publication Date: September 19, 2022

Key Points

Key Points

  • Effective pain management is of critical importance throughout the cancer care trajectory.
  • Pain management requires an interdisciplinary approach and should include both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, where appropriate.
  • Integrative medicine includes interventions such as acupuncture, massage, meditation, and yoga that are recommended for symptom and pain management.
  • The key guiding principle of integrative medicine is to use these interventions along with conventional pain management approaches (e.g., medications, radiation, injections, physical therapies). It is not intended to replace conventional interventions.

Pain Management

...Pain Manag...

...owing set of recommendations are for adults with...


...Aro...

...1.1Acupuncture should be offered to patie...

...commendation 1.2Yoga may be offered to patients...


...Gene...

...ndation 1.3Acupuncture may be offered to p...

...mmendation 1.4Reflexology or acupressure may...

...ion 1.5Massage may be offered to patient...

Recommendation 1.6Hatha yoga may b...

...n 1.7Guided imagery with progressive muscle rela...


...Chemotherapy-Induc...

...n 1.8Acupuncture may be offered to patients e...

...ecommendation 1.9Reflexology or ac...


...Procedural or Sur...

...ndation 1.10Hypnosis may be offered to patien...

....11Acupuncture or acupressure may be of...

...commendation 1.12Music therapy may be offered...


...Pain Duri...

...mendation 1.13Massage may be offered...


...any of the recommendations are weak and based on...


...Integrative Therapies for Cancer Pain...


...believes that cancer clinical trials are vita...