Integrative Oncology Support
A cancer diagnosis comes with a second fight nobody warns you about: the side effects. Nausea, fatigue, nerve pain, sleepless nights, and the stress of it all. Your oncology team's job is treating the cancer. Our job is helping you feel as well as possible while they do.
Dr. Karen Helmick provides gentle, supportive care for patients going through chemotherapy, radiation, surgery recovery, and the long tail of treatment afterward. Everything here works alongside your medical care, never in place of it — Dr. Karen will ask about your treatment plan and coordinate around it, and nothing is done without your oncology team's timing in mind. Many patients tell us these visits are the one hour in their week that isn't about being a patient.
1
Symptom Relief Acupuncture
Gentle treatment aimed at the side effects that wear people down: treatment-related nausea, fatigue, neuropathy in the hands and feet, joint aches, and pain. Acupuncture is offered in major cancer centers across the country for exactly these uses.
2
Sleep & Stress Support
Calming treatment for the anxiety, restlessness, and broken sleep that come with diagnosis and treatment. Rest is part of recovery, and it's often the first thing cancer takes.
3
Recovery and Strength Building
Support for the months after active treatment ends — rebuilding energy, appetite, and strength, and easing lingering side effects. With her Exercise Science background, Dr. Karen can also guide a gentle, realistic return to activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a treatment for cancer? No, and we want to be plain about that. Nothing we do treats cancer. Our role is helping you feel better — less nausea, better sleep, less pain — while your oncology team does their work. Think of it as supportive care, because that's exactly what it is.
Is acupuncture safe during chemotherapy and radiation? For most patients, yes, with adjustments. Dr. Karen modifies treatment based on where you are in your care — blood counts, treatment schedule, surgical sites, and ports all factor into how and where she works. That's why she asks about your treatment plan in detail before starting.
Should I tell my oncologist I'm coming here? Yes, please do. Dr. Karen wants your oncology team to know about any care you receive here, and she's glad to coordinate or answer their questions. Most oncology teams are familiar with acupuncture for symptom support — many major cancer centers offer it in-house.
Can acupuncture really help with chemo side effects? Acupuncture is one of the better-studied complementary therapies for treatment-related nausea, and many patients also find it helps with fatigue, neuropathy, and sleep. Results vary from person to person, and Dr. Karen will be honest with you about what's helping and what isn't as you go.
What about herbs and supplements? Extreme caution here. Some herbs and supplements can interfere with chemotherapy and other treatments. Dr. Karen does not recommend herbs during active treatment without reviewing your full medication list, and anything considered gets run past your oncology team first. If another practitioner has sold you supplements during treatment without asking what chemo you're on, bring the bottles in.
I finished treatment months ago but still don't feel like myself. Can you help? This is one of the most common reasons patients come to us. The fatigue, lingering neuropathy, and general depletion after treatment can last long after the last infusion. Rebuilding is slow, steady work, and it's work we know well.
Can a family member come with me? Of course. A spouse, adult child, or friend is welcome to sit in on your first visit. And a note for caregivers: the stress of caring for someone through cancer is its own health event. You're welcome here as a patient too.
