Complementary therapies include meditation, yoga, acupuncture and massage therapy while alternative medicine includes herbs, homeopathy and naturopathy.
NHIS data indicates that many people use complementary and alternative medicine approaches, including dietary supplements. Unfortunately, most of these products have not been put through scientific trials to test them; some could cause harmful side effects or interfere with conventional treatments.
What is complementary therapy?
Complementary therapies (also referred to as integrative medicine or holistic health) can be used alongside conventional Western medical treatment to help you feel better and cope with cancer and its side effects. They may include things such as acupuncture, yoga, meditation, massage therapy and art therapy; though not all have been tested clinically yet. Some complementary therapies have proven their worth by improving symptoms like fatigue and nausea associated with cancer while other may remain untested for effectiveness.
Traditional Western medicine refers to medical practices which have been independently evaluated and proven effective by medical experts; also referred to as the standard of care or “best practice.” In contrast, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) refers to practices not subject to peer-review such as yoga, Tai Chi, Reiki or music therapy that some individuals utilize alongside conventional treatments.
Some complementary therapies have existed for millennia in particular cultures and are rooted in belief systems, while others such as acupuncture have recently proven their efficacy at alleviating low back pain and other forms of discomfort.
Evidence indicates that certain complementary therapies may help alleviate stress, enhance sleep and mood, and facilitate relaxation; however, more research must be conducted into how and when best to utilize such approaches.
If you are considering complementary therapy, make an appointment with your primary care doctor first. They can advise whether it is right for you and where to find practitioners; often these members of professional organizations adhere to standards of training and practice.
Most doctors support complementary therapy; however, some may be cautious to recommend its use to their patients due to incomplete testing by complementary practitioners compared with conventional ones and the potential risk that such therapies might interfere with cancer medicines or cause harm.
Talk to your therapist about which complementary treatment you want to try and how it will fit with the treatment for cancer. Also be sure to inform your physician of any results from using complementary therapies and share any results you experience with him/her.
What is alternative therapy?
Alternative therapy refers to nontraditional medical practices that differ from mainstream approaches to medicine, such as acupuncture, herbal remedies, biofeedback, tai chi and meditation. Some health insurance plans now cover alternative therapies while conventional doctors increasingly suggest them for their patients. Additional terms used to refer to this field include complementary medicine, integrative therapy and holistic medicine.
Alternative therapies do not go through the same rigorous testing as medical treatments; often relying on ancient beliefs or the belief that certain natural substances possess healing powers. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is a government body which evaluates such treatments.
Some cancer patients opt for complementary and alternative therapies as an effective way of managing symptoms and increasing quality of life. Although these therapies may seem harmless enough, they won’t cure your cancer and should always be discussed with their primary healthcare team before undertaking such measures. They’ll be able to advise whether it will be useful.
There is no scientific proof that most alternative therapies can effectively treat or prevent cancer, although some may make symptoms worse or cause other issues. Some alternative treatments could increase the risk of harmful side effects from cancer treatment and interfere with doctor plans to care for you.
Before trying any complementary therapy, it’s best to consult your health care provider first. Asking them for recommendations of practitioners or consulting professional organizations (some offer lists of practitioners licensed or certified for practice is helpful). Online research resources like NCCIH Clearinghouse are also invaluable sources of information; here you’ll find information about complementary and integrative healthcare practices as well as links to research resources as well as activities and publications of NCCIH.
Who uses complementary therapy?
Many cancer patients utilize complementary therapy as part of their cancer treatment, and it is wise to discuss it with their healthcare team and ensure any practitioner you visit has adequate training and credentials. Some providers may even be able to inform you whether their therapies interfere with or complement cancer therapy regimens.
Acupuncture, massage and Tai chi are among the many complementary therapies utilized by people living with cancer or its treatments. Other popular examples are herbal medicine, biofeedback, yoga, music therapy and meditation. People may utilize complementary therapies to manage symptoms related to cancer treatment such as fatigue, nausea and loss of appetite while other approaches may assist with stress and depression relief.
Some individuals use alternative therapies in hopes that it might help cure their cancer; however, no scientific evidence exists supporting any alternative therapy as being capable of controlling or curing cancer; furthermore, such therapies could even prove dangerous in certain instances.
Healthcare professionals generally support patients using complementary and alternative therapies in combination with medical treatment, provided it has been demonstrated as safe. If people using complementary therapy do so under supervision from qualified practitioners, healthcare providers may be less likely to discourage its use.
Complementary medicine, complementary and integrative medicine (CAM/IM), or integrative healthcare are terms commonly used to refer to practices not considered part of conventional Western medicine or conventional healthcare practices. However, many healthcare providers remain cautious in allowing their patients to use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), or at least refer them to alternative practitioners. This may be because most forms of CAM practice remain unproven and certain practices could potentially interact negatively with conventional medications in harmful ways. Before embarking on any complementary therapies, it’s wise to consult your healthcare provider. Furthermore, keeping all healthcare providers aware of all therapies you are using – both over-the-counter and prescription medications – gives a full picture of your health and well-being.
Who uses alternative medicine?
People seeking out complementary therapies typically do so to relax, feel more at ease and cope better with cancer and its treatments. There is some evidence to support some practices being beneficial but more research needs to be conducted into which methods work effectively or not. As more is revealed about which practices may help or hinder fighting or recurrence we hope to gather more insight as to which ones work and which do not. We’re just getting started to understand what helps and which don’t.
Health professionals frequently recommend complementary therapies as a means of relieving both pain and some of the side effects associated with chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. Acupuncture, for instance, has been found effective at alleviating nausea caused by certain cancer drugs, while yoga, tai chi and massage therapies may help ease back and neck pain.
Some alternative therapies claim to strengthen your immune system and aid your body’s fight against cancer, yet there is no solid proof. Furthermore, many of these therapies have not undergone rigorous clinical trials like those conducted for new conventional medicines; their use could reduce effectiveness or cause adverse side effects of treatments already prescribed to you.
Before trying complementary therapies alongside traditional medical treatment, it’s essential that you speak to your healthcare team first. They will inform you if any practices could potentially compromise the efficacy of cancer care – and if that is indeed the case, provide advice on how safely you should practice the practice.
When seeking complementary therapy, it’s best to select a practitioner who works alongside traditional medicine providers, so all healthcare providers are working in harmony and your medical records remain up-to-date. When searching for practitioners who work alongside traditional medicine providers, be sure to find a provider with experience working with people suffering from your specific health condition as well as being covered by your insurance company if any out-of-pocket expenses apply – it is also beneficial for keeping all practitioners up-to-date on any herbs, dietary supplements or natural products you might be taking in order to ensure continuity among providers when receiving treatments from different healthcare providers.
