Cancer is a disease that does not exempt anyone from becoming a victim. When earlier claims state that cancer is a hereditary condition, many cases today prove it otherwise. Many of the conditions in the environment that people are exposed to are possible carcinogens, or cancer-causing. In the United States alone, in 2007, about half a million deaths were caused by cancer. A large number of these cancers were related to the respiratory system, digestive system, and reproductive system.
As conventional medicine has been using treatments such as drugs and chemotherapy for battling cancer, so have complementary and alternative methods improved in this field. Many of these procedures have been scientifically backed and medically recommended by professionals. In some cases, alternative treatments can be coupled with cancer medication to hasten the healing process. If cancer cannot be completely healed, these alternative treatments are meant to alleviate the pain associated with the disease, and reduce the stress caused by conventional treatments. Take a look at some alternative treatments that are giving a new hope to patients with cancer.
Energy medicine is a field in complementary and alternative medicine that the National Institutes of Health recommend for treatment. These methods involve channeling and strengthening the body’s natural spiritual energy for hastening the healing ability of the body. Reiki and Qi Gong are some energy medicine practices that are currently being observed for curing cancer.
Reiki is a Japanese healing art which involves the laying of hands on a patient by a practitioner or master. The hands serve as a channel for transferring the life energy from one person to another. The life energy is restored in the body, and the illness has the chance of being removed. Qi Gong, an exercise system from China, involves body movements that increase the flow of life energy into the body. Both treatments are currently backed by testimonials of cancer patients. However, medical studies are still on going to determine how well these treatments work for cancer, or if the healing is just a result of the placebo effect.
Chiropractic is another alternative system used for treating cancer. These procedures follow the principle that the structure and form of the body, especially of the spine, determine the health state of an individual. Properly positioning the body helps regulate the body system functions to maintain a healthy life. These procedures require no drugs, and the practitioner only uses his hands when treating, so chiropractic is said to be safe.
As an option for treating cancer, chiropractic procedures have not yet been guaranteed to destroy tumors, but have been seen to relieve the pain associated with the disease. Aside from being safe and non-invasive, chiropractic medicine is cost-effective. According to the Nursing Oncology Journal of 2005, it has the potential to alleviate cancer-related pain and suffering, and possibly to improve a cancer patient’s overall health state.
Herbal remedies are becoming a popular alternative treatment for cancer. A study in 2005 by the American Society of Clinical Oncology states that a majority of cancer patients, both male and female are likely to attempt using herbal treatments along with cancer medication. However, studies recommend consulting a physician first, as some herbs have the potential to interact adversely with some cancer drugs. Some of the widely-used herbs used are garlic, echinacea, grape seed extract, ginseng, and many others.
Some laboratory findings have concluded that certain herbal extracts can metastasize or reduce the size of tumors in vitro. Some of these researches were conducted on laboratory animals, such as rats, but have yet to be tested on humans. Many herbs have also been observed to be cancer-preventive, because of a compound called geranylgeranoic acid, which is present in rhubarb, licorice, turmeric, gentian, dandelion, and the above mentioned herbs.
