Looking at Complementary Cancer Treatments

The first thing to say about this page on complementary cancer treatments is that it is not about strange and scientifically disproven treatments for cancer, such as homeopathy or “psychic surgery”. Instead it is about different cancer treatments that are proven to have a positive effect on the patient when used alongside regular treatments, not in place of them. It is also important to add that the complementary cancer treatments spoken about here do not kill cancer cells and do not cure cancer. They are designed to help the patient manage pain and psychological issues, which will in turn increase their quality of life. This is especially true for those unfortunately suffering from terminal cancer, who might be in significant amounts of pain. One of the most widely accepted complementary cancer treatments is acupuncture, and this is the process whereby acupuncture needles are inserted in the skin in different points of the body. This process can be used effectively to control certain symptoms of cancer, such as various pains and also psychological conditions. This research is backed up by the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health. Another type of this kind of complementary cancer treatments is massage therapy, which is basically when a trained massage therapist manipulates the muscle and tissues of the body. This, according to some studies, can decrease the stress and anxiety often felt by those suffering from cancer, as well as decrease the severity of pain in certain areas. What’s more, unlike acupuncture, massage therapy is a completely non-invasive technique, which is something that attracts many people to it. There are many different types of massage therapy and a number of them can be used as treatments for cancer. Always use a reputable and well-trained masseuse though, as they will be able to tell you exactly the type of massage you need for your personal situation. This might mean paying slightly more for the treatment, but the results will be much better. Psychotherapy is also something that many cancer sufferers use, especially those experienced lots of anxiety and mental anguish over the situation. The basic premise of psychotherapy is that it is designed to increase an individual’s sense of well-being and this can be done using a number of different techniques. Many psychiatrists offer this service, as do specialist psychotherapists. It should be mentioned that only those who actually give the process a chance will benefit from it – those who go in with a closed mind will not receive much out of it. Cannabinoids are also something that have been proven to relieve pain, as well as stimulate appetite and reduce the nausea many people feel after going through chemotherapy. It should be noted that synthetically produced cannabinoids are not the same as smoking cannabis – that is another debate entirely and one that has supporters on both sides. Cannabinoids are designed to harness to benefits of cannabis without the mind-altering effects that the drug also has. Recent studies have also pointed to the possibility that cannabinoids can help to actually fight cancer, with some going as far as to say that cannabinoids are able to contribute to the killing of cancerous cells. This theory was supported by research submitted to the US National Library of Medicine by a group of scientists from the Italian city of Salerno. Once again though, this study was conducted using cannabinoids, and not regular cannabis. The four cancer treatments mentioned above are the four main ones that specialists recognize as having a positive effect on the treatment of cancer, although most of the effects are to treat side-effects, not the actual cancer itself. There are also many complementary cancer treatments still under investigation by specialists, such as proton therapy and mistletoe, and the hope is that some of these cancer treatments being investigated will further add to the quality of life of cancer patients. Before we finish, it is important to mention that anyone suffering from cancer should always check with their doctor before they begin any complementary cancer treatments. This is so that both doctor and patient can be confident that the complementary cancer treatments are not going to adversely affect the treatment process in any way.