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Supportive Cancer Care
There is increasing evidence, both tested and anecdotal, that Mind/Body techniques and other alternative therapies can help patients cope with the side effects of treatment and, in certain instances, can help affect cures. Many patients are combing these techniques with their conventional treatments with very positive results. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs Massage Therapy Nutrition and Diet Energy Medicine Click here for integrative psychotherapists Click here for massage therapists Find more information in our library: Also in this section
People with cancer have had their worlds turned upside down. Anxiety about ongoing treatments, some of which are invasive and painful, as well as situational depression can be addressed through Integrative Psychotherapy and Mind/Body techniques. Research studies have shown that various guided imagery techniques can strengthen coping mechanisms, decrease depression and give patients a feeling of control. Cognitive restructuring, mindfulness meditation and relaxation training can help patients move through the crisis with a sense of hope and meaningful ways to positively participate in their healing.
Traditional Chinese Medicine incorporating acupuncture, herbs or both, is used to complement conventional cancer treatments. Treatments such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy begin to weaken the body’s immune system. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can strengthen it. Acupuncture can also help to alleviate the side effects of treatment such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue, loss of appetite as well as the depression or anxiety that can accompany serious illnesses. In 1997, the National Institutes of Health recognized the effectiveness of Acupuncture for nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy.
People with cancer, as with other serious illnesses, need to be touched. Anecdotal evidence shows that massage is not only beneficial in reducing nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but also diminishes cancer fatigue, rebuilds hope, and provides a reassuring, comforting, and safe experience where the person can relax deeply and be nurtured. Massage can bolster the immune function, reduce edema and may improve the resiliency of the skin during radiation therapy. According to James Gordon, M.D., Chair of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy, “Massage is medicine.”
Nutrition and diet are an important part of treatment for cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, “Eating the right kinds of foods before, during and after your treatment can help you feel better and stay stronger.” Often the side effects of cancer treatment can affect a patients appetite and ability to eat. It has been found that patients who eat well during their cancer treatments are better able to cope with their illness.
Energy Medicine involves the energy field in and around the physical body through non-invasive, gentle touch as well as through thought and prayer. The mechanism of Energy Medicine involves the transmission of “healing energies” through the healer to the patient. Dolores Krieger, Ph.D., a professor of nursing at New York University, has documented an increase in hemoglobin levels in patients receiving Healing Touch Therapy (a form of energy medicine). At the Medical Center of Central Massachusetts, trained nurses who perform Reiki (a form of energy healing) in the post-surgery room witness their patients sleeping more calmly, having less pain, and “pinking up” more quickly.
Supportive Cancer Care