Mesothelioma patients may choose complementary and alternative mesothelioma treatments to supplement traditional medical care. The goals of these supplemental therapies and treatments are to improve the quality of life, relieve symptoms, and manage treatment side effects.
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About Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Many experts recognize complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as a valid supplement to traditional medicine. It is not generally considered a substitute for standard care.
Most non-traditional treatments are individual choices and are not a part of the conventional standard of medical treatment.
Some of the more popular CAM treatments for mesothelioma patients are acupuncture, massage, meditation, and chiropractic care.
These natural techniques may provide relief from symptoms of mesothelioma and its treatments:
- Chronic pain
- Inflammation
- Body tension
- Stress
- Headaches
- Nausea and GI distress
Although some benefits and therapy types are unproven, many patients get a beneficial sense of relief from trying them.
What Is Integrative Medicine?
You might also hear the term integrative used when referring to CAM therapies. Integrative medicine is the practice of integrating CAM therapies with traditional medicine to support it. It provides a more holistic approach to patient care, addressing all of their needs, not just direct treatment of the cancer.
Integrative oncology is the specific use of CAM therapies in cancer treatment. Some cancer treatment centers have integrative oncology programs available to patients.
Is CAM Treatment Right for Me?
Using CAM treatments is a personal choice for mesothelioma patients. Check with your medical team before you try any of these CAM therapies. There might be some treatments or therapies that you should not use for specific reasons.
Your medical team can also help you find qualified, licensed practitioners. You should only ever work with professionals who are appropriately licensed and have experience working with cancer patients.
Get to know some of the options for CAM therapies, what they entail, and benefits and risks, and then make an informed decision with your doctors.
Do Complementary and Alternative Therapies Work?
Always remember that CAM therapies are meant to be supplements to traditional cancer treatment. They should not replace your primary cancer treatments and do not treat cancer. They will not slow the progression of your cancer or cure you.
Many CAM therapies can be effective as palliative treatments designed to relieve symptoms. If they are considered safe, there is no harm in trying a therapy. If it does not work for you, you can stop. Many CAM therapies are effective in relieving some symptoms and improving quality of life.
Vitamins, Herbs, and Supplements
Although most vitamins and herbal treatments are not recognized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), mesothelioma patients may benefit from them.
For example, Cat’s Claw is a popular natural herbal remedy that stimulates the immune system. Some people believe enhancing the immune system can support cancer treatments.
Vitamin C, if taken consistently, can help prevent cancer cells from growing, as well as strengthen bones and help the body produce collagen.
An emerging supplementary treatment in cancer care is the fiber beta-glucan. It is found naturally in some grains, mushrooms, and seaweed. It might boost the immune system and trigger it to attack cancer cells. Clinical trials are currently investigating the use of beta-glucan as a cancer treatment.
Nutrition and Exercise
Following a good nutrition plan is also useful in fighting mesothelioma and other cancers. Consider working with a registered dietician to build a healthy meal plan to support your treatment and quality of life.
You will enjoy better overall health when you eat well, maintain a healthy weight, and address any nutrient deficiencies. This helps you feel better but also allows you to tolerate more aggressive cancer treatments.
Exercise has similar benefits and is also good for mental health. As a mesothelioma patient, your ability to exercise might be limited, but you should be able to be active to some degree. Talk to your doctors about a type of gentle exercise that would be appropriate.
Mental Health Therapies
Mental health is as important as physical health for patients coping with a mesothelioma diagnosis and undergoing treatment. Your medical team can help you find a therapist trained to work with cancer patients. Support groups can also be useful.
Patients benefit from traditional mental health therapy, but also alternatives, including:
- Animal/pet therapy
- Art therapy
- Dance therapy
- Journaling/writing therapy
- Music therapy
Medical Marijuana
There have been several studies on marijuana and lung cancer patients, and the results have been positive so far. Most cancer patients who’ve taken medical marijuana reported that they experienced positive benefits:
- Pain relief
- Better sleep quality and the need for less sleep
- Increase in appetite and decrease in nausea
- Less stress and anxiety
More studies are needed since medical marijuana is still not legal in all states, and research is inhibited due to strict guidelines.
Cancer patients who use medical marijuana have reported a few side effects. Most patients said that the side effects were so minor that they outweighed the benefits. The most common side effects reported include:
- Red eyes
- Paranoia
- Dizziness
- Low blood pressure and increased heartbeat
- Hallucinations
- Difficulties with food digestion
Side effects tend to vary from one person to another. Before trying medical marijuana to help with pain, consult your physician first, and most importantly, check your state laws to determine if it’s legal in your state.
Homeopathic Treatments
Homeopathy is an alternative type of medicine in which patients take diluted natural substances to bring their bodies to the same level as a healthy person. This natural approach gives patients natural medications that counteract everyday body actions.
For example, even though an onion causes your eyes to water, a patient with allergies who has watery eyes can be given a diluted onion to counteract the effect.
Other examples include a system of diluted natural therapies consisting of plants, animals, or minerals that are used, such as nettle, red onions, poison ivy, mountain herbs, and more.
However, keep in mind that there are no set standards for homeopathic remedies, and you should always consult with your physician first. Evidence that homeopathy works is also limited.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is a form of alternative medical care proven to be beneficial in numerous ways to mesothelioma patients.
Trained, licensed chiropractors perform a number of techniques to help patients overcome pain, which in turn can help decrease the need for additional pain medications.
Other benefits of chiropractic care include:
- Reduction in stress and anxiety
- An increase in mobility and flexibility
- Help with indigestion and nausea
Massage Therapy
Massage therapy helps reduce painful mesothelioma symptoms and treatment side effects, reduce stress, and improve recovery time.
Professional massage therapy differs from a basic massage given by a friend or family member.
Massage therapists are highly-trained professionals who generally work with physicians and chiropractors to offer mesothelioma patients the best forms of massage techniques to match individual needs.
Reiki
Reiki is a type of mind-body therapy based on the idea that a healer uses their hands to manipulate the energy running through the body to bring about balance and healing.
Reiki does not necessarily involve touch. The practitioner may either gently rub the hands over the patient’s body or move them over the body, hovering just over the patient and not touching them.
Studies of reiki with cancer patients have found that the practice helps reduce stress, makes patients more relaxed, reduces fatigue, and even relieves pain to some degree.
Reiki is not a cure for any illness, but it is thought to promote healing and is often used as a supplement to traditional medicine for this reason.
Whether reiki really promotes healing or makes traditional treatments more effective remains unproven, but the practice of reiki seems to help cancer patients feel better.
Yoga
As an ancient practice, yoga has long been known to provide physical and mental health benefits. It is a mind-body practice that merges physical exercise with mental wellness.
Yoga has been proven to help cancer patients feel better in several ways:
- It reduces pain by increasing tolerance to it.
- It reduces stress and improves mood.
- It fights fatigue by providing a boost of energy.
- Cancer patients who practice yoga regularly report better quality of life than patients who do not.
Yoga for cancer patients should be gentle and taught by someone who understands the unique needs and the limitations of living with cancer.
Tai Chi and Qigong
Tai chi and qigong are mind-body practices and provide a gentle exercise that works for many cancer patients. They utilize slow, flowing movements along with breathing and mindfulness.
Studies have found that these practices improve the quality of life in cancer patients. They can reduce fatigue, reduce inflammation, and boost mental health.
Meditation
Meditation is yet another ancient practice that benefits mesothelioma and other cancer patients. Meditation involves sitting still and focusing on the present moment, often a body sensation like breathing.
Studies show that meditation can help cancer patients manage anxiety and stress, sleep better, combat fatigue, and improve overall mental health and quality of life.
Acupuncture and Acupressure
Acupuncture is a practice from traditional Chinese medicine and is today considered complementary and alternative medicine, often used in conjunction with traditional treatments for various conditions. The practice involves the insertion into the skin of thin needles. Acupressure is a similar practice that uses pressure rather than needles.
Acupuncture practitioners place needles in strategic points that help direct the body’s energy for greater balance and relief from symptoms or illness.
They target the needles at specific pressure points on the body, and knowing where and how to place them requires training and practice.
Acupuncture is not a replacement for cancer treatments and is ineffective at treating cancer or reducing tumors.
However, medical research has proven that acupuncture can have some benefits when used to complement treatment.
For example, one study found that acupuncture reduces nausea and vomiting associated so often with chemotherapy. Acupuncture may also reduce pain and other side effects of treatment.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy may seem like nothing more than a magic trick. Still, it is a proven alternative and complementary medical practice that can benefit many types of patients, including those living with and fighting mesothelioma.
Hypnotherapy is the practice of helping a person come into a state of deep focus and intense relaxation. When in this state, the hypnotherapists can make suggestions to the patient, who will be more responsive to them.
Studies have been conducted to determine if this type of therapy has real benefits for cancer patients, and the results are promising. Hypnotherapy can help a patient manage pain, even reducing the need for prescription painkillers.
It has also been proven to reduce stress and negative emotions like anxiety, specifically before undergoing a surgical procedure for cancer treatment.
Hypnotherapy may also be effective at reducing the side effects of chemotherapy and boosting mood for patients experiencing fatigue.
What the Medical Community Says About Natural and Alternative Treatments
Although most natural and alternative treatments are not considered the mainstream way of battling diseases, many professionals in the medical community are beginning to see the benefits of CAM for their patients.
Today, more and more physicians are beginning to embrace complementary and alternative medicines and even incorporate certain natural treatments with their standard medical care.
The Mayo Clinic, for example, believes in holistic and natural approaches combined with traditional treatment.
As the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine continues to research and provide scientific evidence regarding these types of treatments, more members of the professional medical community are beginning to see the major advantages.
Talk to your medical team before trying any CAM treatment. There may be good reasons you should not use particular therapies or supplements. If given the go-ahead, it’s safe to try these alternatives.
Getting Help
Remember, if you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may qualify for significant compensation. Don’t forget to fill out our form to get our free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information on experienced asbestos and mesothelioma attorneys in your area. If you need additional assistance, contact us toll-free at 800-793-4540.
