Many individuals living with cancer rely on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). There is little scientific data supporting such practices.
Some therapies work by manipulating invisible energy fields that surround the body; others, like Applied Kinesiology and massage, concentrate on physical aspects. Still others combine both approaches – for instance guided imagery or hypnotherapy.
Acupuncture
Alternative therapy refers to any health-related practice or treatment not considered part of conventional medicine, such as meditation, yoga, hypnosis, tai chi and massages. This can include practices like meditation, yoga, hypnosis tai chi massages as well as more physical treatments like acupuncture or chiropractic techniques.
Acupuncture is one of the most widely practiced alternative therapies, consisting of inserting needles at specific points on your body by a practitioner. Acupuncturists rely on the theory that life force energy (qi) circulates throughout your meridians and when imbalanced can cause illness or pain – they then stimulate these points with needles to restore balance to your life force energy and bring it back into balance through stimulation points aimed at correcting this flow and bring your body back into equilibrium.
Medical studies have demonstrated that acupuncture can effectively alleviate pain by stimulating nerves and releasing natural morphine-like substances into the spinal cord and brain. Acupuncture has also been proven to decrease nausea caused by chemotherapy treatments; additionally it can provide relief for nausea caused by other forms of cancer treatments, helping people feel relaxed and more at ease during treatments for cancer.
Acupuncture has long been used to treat conditions ranging from headaches and menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, and fibromyalgia to headaches, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow and fibromyalgia. It is sometimes combined with other therapies or medications like antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs or corticosteroids for optimal results.
Prior to beginning any form of alternative therapy, it’s essential that you consult your physician. They can ensure it doesn’t interfere with traditional treatments or cause adverse side effects; also provide information regarding whether any practices have been tested in laboratory or animal studies to ascertain if they’re safe for humans; additionally they may help you locate an acupuncturist who’s licensed in your area and in-network with your insurance provider.
Chiropractic
Chiropractic therapy involves manipulating the spine. Chiropractic works on the basis that any misalignments or structural issues with the spine can interfere with nerve transmission, leading to pain and decreased function – thus giving rise to chiropractic manipulation as an approach to restore overall health and improve function.
Doctors of chiropractic specialize in diagnosing and treating health issues related to bones, muscles and joints using chiropractic techniques such as manipulation or manipulation using their hands. Also called chiropractic practitioners or chiropractors for short, they provide advice regarding exercise regiments, diet and lifestyle as well as treatment plans that could include back and neck pain relief, headache treatment or injuries which they might recommend surgery as an option for.
Alternative therapies may be used either alongside or as replacements for traditional medicine; many people turn to complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) because they believe conventional medicines cannot offer all of the answers for health. CAMs can offer a more holistic approach.
Alternative medicines use natural substances to treat illness, including herbal medicine which uses parts of plants such as thyme, echinacea and turmeric.
Alternative medicine includes therapies like acupuncture and reiki that use thin needles to stimulate specific points on the body and energy healing techniques to pass healing energy from person to person. Millions of people worldwide utilize alternative therapies as effective means for treating various illnesses; it’s best to speak to your physician first before trying any alternative treatments yourself.
Applied Kinesiology
Applied Kinesiology is a holistic technique that uses muscle testing to detect structural, chemical and emotional disorders. The system works on the principle that all muscles are linked with glands and organs in some way and weakness in one muscle indicates an issue elsewhere in the body. Also referred to as manual muscle testing, muscle energy techniques or Chinese medicine meridian therapy.
George Goodheart, a chiropractor and the inaugural official team doctor for an Olympic team, created applied kinesiology using an equilateral triangle model of structural health, biochemical health and emotional/mental wellbeing. A practitioner then evaluates their balance, targeting therapy towards any imbalanced sides or areas in order to correct them.
Professional Applied Kinesiology (AK) practitioners use manual muscle testing alongside patient histories, orthopedic and neurologic exams, laboratory work and other diagnostic procedures to perform assessments that include assessing specific ligaments and tendons to ascertain which areas need treatment. Kinesiologists can treat a wide variety of conditions that include nutritional deficiencies or excesses; stress imbalances within meridians; structural misalignments like misalignments of the rib cage or spine, to name just some examples.
As reported in a study of patients with multiple sclerosis who received kinesiology treatments, those receiving it reported improvement of magnetic resonance imaging results and quality of life. Massage therapy is frequently combined with applied kinesiology in order to loosen tight ligaments, tendons and muscles so chiropractic adjustments hold for longer, helping the body heal while also preventing muscles from forcing vertebrae and extremity joints back out of alignment too quickly.
Massage
Massage is a technique in which a trained practitioner manipulates soft tissue. Massage therapy has long been utilized across both Western and Eastern cultures for various reasons, from treating neck, back, or joint pain to treating symptoms associated with medical conditions like cancer or depression. Massage may be performed manually with hands or fingers or using various devices; its uses range from neck pain, backache, joint ache relief to neck enhancement – skilled practitioners are adept at adapting their technique according to individual client needs.
Studies show that massage can trigger the relaxation response, an effect in which heart rate and blood pressure drop, stress hormones are released, muscles relax and serotonin levels rise – all things that contribute to improving one’s mood.
Studies have demonstrated the therapeutic value of massage for treating various conditions such as back and neck pain, depression, anxiety, insomnia and fibromyalgia. Furthermore, massage can assist in weight loss while decreasing muscle soreness following physical exercise.
Studies have also demonstrated its ability to strengthen immunity and ease symptoms related to cancer and other health conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease, cancer-related fatigue and nausea and vomiting. Some practitioners use it in combination with other therapies like acupuncture and yoga for optimal results.
Alternative therapies have not been thoroughly tested in clinical trials, and you should consult with a licensed healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition, informing them if you use complementary or alternative medicine. Some evidence supports acupuncture, guided imagery, chiropractic treatments, massage, certain herbal therapies and dietary approaches as effective remedies; more research needs to be conducted into mind-body practices such as meditation and tai chi.
Yoga
Yoga has been practiced for millennia. As an ancient mind-body discipline, it combines physical postures, breathing exercises, meditation and ethical principles into one practice that can benefit health, mental clarity, emotional equilibrium and spiritual well-being. Yoga comes in various styles and traditions but all share an emphasis on body, mind and breath union – an increasing body of evidence indicates its benefits to physical as well as mental wellness.
Yoga offers many physical benefits. For instance, it can reduce lower back pain by strengthening and stretching the spine; increase flexibility and balance; help those living with chronic illness reduce stress levels and sleep patterns more soundly; build self-esteem as well as provide opportunities to connect with others in a safe environment.
Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of yoga as an antidepressant therapy, increasing social connections and decreasing stress hormone levels in the bloodstream. Yoga also serves to diminish trauma effects when used alongside traditional therapies for recovery.
Yoga therapy aims to match client health needs with specific yoga practices identified as having curative effects by both tradition and modern medicine. For instance, when treating herniated disc patients there are specific yoga postures which may help promote healing and alleviate symptoms; similarly when treating those suffering PTSD it can address nervous system dysregulation that often comes along with trauma; yoga can even reduce sensory arousal in autistic individuals while fostering emotional regulation.
