The asbestos-related cancer known as mesothelioma is rarely operable, and it is only moderately responsive to other forms of treatment such as radiation and chemotherapy. In fact, by the time this cancer is diagnosed, often the patient is too weak to undergo western therapies, or feels that the side effects will outweigh their benefits. For these reasons, more and more mesothelioma patients are turning to alternative or complementary therapies in order to alleviate the symptoms of their mesothelioma and to improve the quality of their life.
Some of the most popular holistic treatments for mesothelioma patients include acupuncture, massage, hypnosis, and TENS therapy. While you might be familiar with the basic concept of those first three treatments, TENS therapy may be new to you. In TENS - transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation - therapy, electrodes are placed at key spots along the path of the nervous system. Then a generator emits a tiny amount of electricity to those electrodes. It is unclear exactly how this process stimulates pain relief, but the benefits are certain: the therapy is non-invasive, non-addictive, easy to administer, and can be used indefinitely. TENS therapy may be particularly useful to elderly patients, who make up the majority of those with mesothelioma.
Many mesothelioma patients turn to nature for its healing benefits, utilizing the wide array of healthful plants and herbs. Nutritional supplements and a whole-foods diet have worked wonders for some. While some patients focus on eating lean meats, whole grains, legumes and lots of vegetables and fruits, including fresh juices, others turn to supplements such as paw paw, folic acid, and boysenberries.
Still others who have been diagnosed with this devastating form of cancer can find improved quality of life and general well-being by practicing yoga, meditating, and using aromatherapy. Any activity or practice which helps the patient to relax can be a valuable one, whether they are attempting to combat the cancer without traditional medicine, or seeking to alleviate the side effects of traditional treatments.
Mesothelioma is newly diagnosed in upwards of 2,000 patients each year in the United States. Unfortunately, many of those patients die within mere months of the diagnosis. As with most forms of cancer, early detection is the key to successful treatment. However, this cancer - which has a long latency period and which has nonspecific symptoms - is rarely diagnosed early enough to make surgery or conventional multimodal therapy a viable course of action. It's no wonder, then, that many people have embarked upon a voyage of discovery to determine whether complementary treatments can help with their mesothelioma. |
