Alternative Medicine for Patients with Mesothelioma

In some cases, people who have received a challenging diagnosis, such as mesothelioma, will seek more information about alternative medicine to help treat the effects of cancer on the mind and body.

Several alternative treatments are available which can relieve the symptoms of the disease to help you receive better treatment or be more comfortable. 

Originating Outside Mainstream Medicine

Alternative medicine refers to the types of treatment which differ from the mainstream healthcare setting. Perhaps you have even seen this term before, but you didn’t know what it meant. If you hear the term complementary, it means that the alternative therapy was intended to be used in conjunction with mainstream methods of treatment. 

Supplements and Herbs

Herbs have been used since ancient times to treat diseases and their symptoms. In modern times, it has become common for people to try to treat ailments with the use of supplements and herbs. While herbal supplements are unlikely to stop the spread of cancer, many can relieve pain, help treat symptoms, and improve quality of life.

Keep in mind, while many herbs and supplements are not dangerous on their own, some have their own side effects and can interact with other medications. Before you begin taking them, you should speak with a medical professional like a doctor or pharmacist. 

Increasing the Survival Rate?

While more studies are being conducted continuously, keep in mind that alternative medicine therapies have limited studied information and no treatment can provide promise of a cure.  Some people report that herbal supplements have relieved pain, nausea, or helped with energy levels, for example. Many people swear by using the alternatives, but you should speak with your doctor first so that interactions and other symptoms can be monitored.

Meditation

Through uniting the body with mindfulness, meditation has been shown to help with some of the mental effects that can arise including depression, pain and anxiety. Whether you consider meditation to be a spiritual practice or not can be an individualized decision because it also has practicality within the clinical setting. This form of treatment can help to put people into a better state of mind, which can help to improve treatment overall. 

Many of these treatment programs focus on helping to treat an individual’s entire body. Meditation is a whole-body form of treatment in most cases. If you have tried some of the more conventional methods, sometimes this can provide you with a good alternative or addition. In some cases, people choose alternative treatment options when they feel that they have done their best with other options, and they haven’t seen much success. Sometimes people will also use this in conjunction with other treatment methods.