No matter if you’re seeking alternative therapies as part of your holistic wellness routine or for their healing potential, it is essential that you find out if health insurance covers them. Check with your policy or consult an agent who specializes in this area to determine this.
CAP is the seventh leading cause of death in the US and most commonly caused by influenza; however, other pathogens may also lead to its development in nonimmunocompromised adults.
What are the Benefits?
Alternative therapies may play a key role in overall wellness, but it is always prudent to consult your physician prior to beginning any new therapies or complementary medicine (CAM) techniques. Many CAM methods work best when used alongside conventional medical treatments; your physician can offer advice about which may work best for you and the techniques they recommend for use alongside them. In addition, any complementary medicines you already take must also be disclosed so they can help monitor progress and determine if any necessary changes need to be made to your current regimen.
Antimicrobial therapy should target the most prevalent causes of CAP. This typically includes S pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae Legionella pneumophila, and influenza. Furthermore, in cases with epidemiologic risk factors suggestive of other pathogens (eg, Hepatitis C), additional antimicrobial therapy may be warranted in addition to standard therapy.
One study discovered that patients receiving initial antibiotic treatment within 4 hours experienced lower 30-day inpatient mortality rates than those treated later; this result was not solely attributable to timed administration, but instead marked other beneficial processes of care – including careful history taking, physical exam, laboratory investigations and rapid antibiotic delivery.
One important consideration when contemplating complementary and alternative medicine therapy (CAM) treatments is how they might interact with prescription medicines, particularly blood thinners and anticoagulants. Thus it is wise to discuss this with a licensed practitioner prior to beginning any CAM therapies.
Not all CAM treatments are covered by insurance plans; certain ACA plans require a physician referral prior to covering alternative therapy, while others impose limits on how many sessions are covered per year. It’s wise to seek licensed and in-network practitioners in order to minimize out-of-pocket expenses; health insurance agents can assist in finding plans that cover them.
How Does Cold Cap Therapy Work?
Cold caps work by temporarily freezing hair follicles to slow or prevent chemotherapy drugs from reaching and damaging them, one of the more distressing side effects of chemotherapy treatments, as it often leads to hair loss – which is one of the primary concerns of chemotherapy patients and often a major emotional setback for them. Recent studies have demonstrated that cooling scalps significantly reduce chemotherapy-induced alopecia.
Scalp cooling involves wearing a custom-fitted cap connected to a special machine that circulates cold water during chemotherapy sessions. You can wear this device at home or in a facility, with help from trained nurse assistants or assistants when you put on and take off the device (usually 30 to 2 hours for complete process); in general you wear the cap before and after every chemotherapy treatment session.
Cold capping’s success rates vary widely; some reports state it doesn’t work for everyone, while other studies report higher success rates. Your type of chemotherapy treatment and hair texture or style could also influence its success rate.
Some cold cap companies provide custom instructions based on your diagnosis and treatment plan, with options for renting customized caps as well as training videos. You may also choose from commercially available cold caps.
When using a home-based system, it’s essential that you follow all directions precisely or you may experience headaches or other side effects; such as chilliness in the forehead or scalp irritation and a feeling that hair loss has occurred.
Although some individuals find the use of cold caps uncomfortable, most can tolerate them without experiencing any significant side effects. You should keep in mind, however, that using them could lengthen your chemo treatment session significantly.
If you are considering cold cap therapy, speaking to your oncologist is key in making an informed decision. Discuss insurance coverage and nonprofit organizations offering financial aid for such services with them; additionally, speak with a certified nurse specializing in cancer-care to review all available options and discuss potential pros/cons of each. They can explain any concerns and answer any queries about what this treatment entails as well as provide answers to any specific queries about this therapy option.
How Can I Get Cold Cap Therapy?
Scalp cooling therapy may be available at UCSF for patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy regimens or who have undergone other cancer-related treatments, so check with your oncologist if this might apply to you.
Ask your treatment team and insurance provider about scalp cooling experience and success rate; inquire as to any out-of-pocket costs; consult an experienced specialist if necessary; wear your cold cap approximately 90 to 120 minutes post treatment session (either manually or provided by DigniCap or Penguin systems).
Study findings revealed that 66% of women receiving breast cancer chemotherapy who used cold caps lost 50% or less hair than those without. The effectiveness of this approach varies by patient depending on drugs used and skin temperature achieved.
Cooling of the scalp reduces its effects by sending hair follicles into hibernation and decreasing drug side-effects, with results seen within days or even hours of application of cooling agents such as anthracycline-taxane combinations or ifosfamide. Therefore, it’s crucial that oncologists and pharmacists discuss all potential risks and benefits when considering scalp cooling techniques, especially if taking certain drugs that can cause alopecia such as anthracycline-taxane combinations or ifosfamide.
If you decide to undergo scalp cooling, you will be asked to sign a consent form and receive a kit with your cold cap, headband (to keep hair in place and reduce discomfort) spray bottle of water (to moisturize hair) as well as instructions and a disposable plastic bag to store your locks in.
UCSF’s scalp cooling program is offered in collaboration with HairToStay, a non-profit organization that provides grants to low-income people to cover the costs associated with cold caps. You can learn more and apply for one on their website; some health insurance plans also provide subsidies.
