Body Based Therapies for Mesothelioma

Body based therapies are external-based forms of therapy that help patients to relieve pain in the joints, soft tissues and bones. These therapies also help the blood to flow through the body. Some of the examples of body based therapies for mesothelioma, a cancer that most often arises from asbestos exposure, include acupuncture, chiropractic care and massage therapies. 

How Can This Help You?

Patients can benefit in a few different ways from this form of treatment focusing on the body. This form of treatment helps to relieve some of the symptoms that are associated with mesothelioma or treatment for it.Chemotherapy, for example, has side effects that body based therapies can help. These benefits include pain relief, and overall improved quality of life, which is equally important. Some of the symptoms that body based therapies can help to alleviate include:

• Depression
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Digestive issues

TENS Therapy: How It Can Help

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, abbreviated TENS, is an alternative form of treatment which may be beneficial for pain relief. TENS works by sending electrical signals throughout the body in low-voltage currents. These electrical pulses travel through the nerve fibers as pulses to reduce or eliminate pain. This therapy works by sending signals to the brain which help to release endorphins. That release creates feelings of euphoria to counteract pain stimulus. 

Acupuncture

Acupuncture can be traced back to ancient China and has continued into modern day medicine. Unlike many alternative therapies, many insurance companies now cover acupuncture. Because the needles are small, patients do not usually feel much pain as the acupuncturist puts them into the body. With respect to other alternative therapies, acupuncture has become a more widely accepted form of treatment for patients who are diagnosed with mesothelioma. Acupuncture may help with relieving pain, stress and depression. In addition, some patients have reported that after acupuncture treatment, they were able to breathe easier. Acupuncture also has few negative side effects.

Body based therapies can help patients to relieve some of the symptoms associated with a cancer diagnosis or chemotherapy treatment. Not all forms of therapy will be appropriate for patients with this illness, however.