Alternative Care
Alternative care is the term used for any care that is outside of the traditional course of treatment for a disease. There are a variety of types of alternative treatment, and can include treatments that manage disease as well as treatments aimed at reducing symptoms. Alternative treatment is a broad term that can include procedures that are not traditionally considered medical, such as massage, to innovative new treatments that are not yet considered established as procedure for mesothelioma (a rare cancer caused by exposure to asbestos). Because alternative care is not approved by the traditional medical establishment, you may have to search to find a doctor who offers these treatments, and they most likely will not be reimbursed by insurance.
Holistic Care
Holistic medical treatment is the term used for alternative medical treatment that treats all parts of the human body. While traditional medical treatment focuses on the disease, in this case mesothelioma, holistic care would focus not only on treating the mesothelioma symptoms, but physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the disease as well. There are a variety of reasons that holistic care is beneficial. In a disease such as mesothelioma, that progresses rapidly and has a poor prognosis, the patient can feel out of control and hopeless. In addition, by the time mesothelioma is diagnosed, it can seem like a death sentence. Holistic care helps patients manage stress and fear, which, in turn, helps them respond to traditional treatment in a more positive way.
Integrative Medicine
While some patients, and unfortunately some doctors, see alternative treatment as an all or nothing approach to mesothelioma treatment, it does not have to be that way. Many traditional doctors will work with holistic practitioners in order to provide the most comprehensive treatment for their patient. The process of combining traditional medical care with alternative therapy is called integrative medicine. If you are interested in exploring alternative treatment options for the treatment of mesothelioma, ask your doctor for the name of a physician that practices integrative medicine.
Types of Alternative Treatment
There are a variety of alternative treatments for mesothelioma patients. While most are aimed at reducing symptoms, gene therapy is an alternative therapy that holds promise as a treatment for the disease. Gene therapy for mesothelioma patients is aimed at targeting the damaged tumor suppressor gene and replacing it with a normal copy of the gene. The slows or stops the tumors growth and cuts off the blood supply to the tumor. It may eventually lead to the tumor's death. Another form of gene therapy used in mesothelioma patients is called "knock-out gene therapy", where the therapy renders the tumor cells ineffective.
More common alternative treatments for the symptoms of mesothelioma include:
Acupuncture. Acupuncture is the treatment of a condition by inserting long needles into the body. Based in Chinese medicine, it is so widely used for various conditions that it is almost considered mainstream. Acupuncture is used for the treatment of pain due to mesothelioma.
Massage Therapy. Massage therapy is used to treat the pain and stress of a serious disease. Massage relaxes the patient, and in addition to helping reduce pain, can also improve appetite and sleep because of its stress reducing capabilities.
Herbal Therapy. Herbal therapy is probably the most controversial method of alternative treatment. Unlike massage therapy or acupuncture, herbal therapy can actually cause harm to the patient if improperly implemented. Because herbs are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, there is little oversight into the quality of the products. Additionally, most herbal cures do not undergo extensive testing, and certainly not with a variety of medications. While many people feel that the worst that can happen with alternative therapy is that it does not help, in the case of herbal therapy, it can actually reduce the effectiveness of your prescription medication or have dangerous interactions with it.
Whether you decide to pursue alternative therapy on your own or work with your physician as part of an integrative approach to your health care is your decision. It is important that you let your doctor know about every herb and vitamin that you are taking however. This will reduce the chances of dangerous interactions or ineffective treatment.
Alternative Therapy as Your Only Treatment?
Some people choose to rely only on alternative treatment in their battle against mesothelioma. If this is the direction that you choose to take, it is important to understand that most alternative therapies for mesothelioma are only aimed at a reduction in pain, an increase in appetite and other improvements in other symptoms. The only alternative treatment that shows promise as a possible cure for mesothelioma is gene therapy, which halts and reverses the growth of tumors. If you choose other types of alternative care as a treatment for mesothelioma, you are essentially putting yourself under palliative care. Many patients make this choice when told by their doctors that their condition is terminal. Alternative care allows the patient to remain relatively comfortable and pain free without subjecting them to unnecessary medical treatments.
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