As a patient diagnosed with mesothelioma, there are treatments that can potentially improve your prognosis and quality of life. Traditional medical treatments include surgeries and radiation therapy. You may also be able to do some treatments right at home to diminish your symptoms and cope with chemotherapy. These are known as alternative medicine or holistic treatments. While your disease may be incurable, you don’t have to live in pain. Improve your quality and enjoyment of life with a treatment plan that’s right for you.
Holistic medicine is based on the principle that it is better to treat the patient as a whole rather than only to treat symptoms of an illness. Holistic care, either from your home or with a licensed health care professional, may be able to improve your emotional, spiritual and physical well-being to boost your overall quality of life as a patient with mesothelioma.
Always consult with your doctor before beginning any type of home treatment for mesothelioma. Some alternative medicines and therapies could interfere with your existing prescriptions and conventional treatments. Work with your physician to create a care plan that suits your needs and gives you the best possible prognosis for the future.
Improving your diet and engaging in a light form of exercise could boost your daily quality of life. Eat a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens. Also, ask your doctor about starting a regimen of vitamins and supplements. A healthy diet can increase your energy levels and help your body heal more efficiently. If your disease allows you to do so, engage in exercise permitted by your doctor, such as taking light walks or stretching.
Discuss the possibility of complementing your chemotherapy or other medical treatments with herbal medicines. Some patients use herbal medicine to ease the symptoms of cancer and relieve common side effects associated with treatments. It is important, however, to have your doctor clear an herbal medicine before taking it. Some herbs can negatively interfere with cancer treatment, such as preventing chemotherapy from killing cancer cells.
If you are receiving chemotherapy for your mesothelioma, cannabis can ease your pain, suppress related nausea and improve your appetite. Cannabis and cannabinoids act as anti-inflammatories, as well. Cannabis is not approved by the FDA to treat cancer or chemotherapy-related symptoms. However, two different cannabinoids (dronabinol and nabilone) are approved by the FDA to treat nausea and vomiting in patients who are receiving chemotherapy. New York currently allows the use of medical marijuana for certain diseases, including cancer.
Acupuncture therapy, performed by a licensed acupuncturist or physician, can balance your energy flow and regulate your mental and physical health. In Chinese medicine, acupuncture is said to activate healing. Studies have shown acupuncture to be effective in alleviating symptoms often associated with mesothelioma and chemotherapy, including chronic pain, fatigue, sleeplessness, nausea and dry mouth. It can also improve mental health and wellbeing.
Yoga and meditation are mind-body techniques that can help you balance your emotions and unite your mind, body and spirit. Supporters of holistic medicine believe that yoga and meditation can reset the nervous system and improve immune function. These practices can also improve your mental and emotional health by reaffirming your purpose for living and teaching you how to cope with difficult emotions, such as fear or anxiety related to your diagnosis.
Although there is no known cure for mesothelioma, you may be able to reduce your symptoms or the effects of chemotherapy and improve your quality of life with holistic, alternative and home-based remedies. Talk to your doctor about home treatments for mesothelioma. For more information about the legal aspect of your illness, including how to seek financial compensation for medical care and treatments, contact a mesothelioma lawyer in New York.