Cancer is a big cause of concern in the medical world. We have a lot of treatments and drugs that are available in the world to treat cancer. One such treatment of cancer is CAM. CAM stands for complementary and alternative medicines for cancer. As the name suggests these are treatments that can be used along with the main cancer treatment.

Role of Alternative Cancer Treatments

These treatments ensure that the patient is cure by the use of medicines as well as alternative treatments. These treatments are not scientifically proved. They are treatments that are available along with the main treatment. There is no scientific study that can prove how effective the complementary and alternative therapies for cancer actually are. There is a lot of research going on across the world to prove that these treatments can also do wonders to the cancer patients.

Many doctors recommend the complementary and alternative therapies for cancer. They have successfully tried it on other patients and have got positive results. These therapies ensure that the rate of recovery from cancer increases and the patient is able to get back to a normal life earlier than expected.

Effects of Complementary Therapies for Cancer

These complementary and alternative therapies for cancer have different affect on different people. Some respond to them better and some a little slow. They are used along with the prescribed medicines. They are used to ensure that the medicines are working faster and better. Another reason why the complementary and alternative therapy for cancer is suggested is the fact that cancer treatment is painful. It has many side effects. When a person gets alternative therapy it helps them to feel more comfortable and deal with the disease better.

Important Alternative Cancer Treatments

One important thing that the patient must know is that he or she can start complementary and alternative therapies for cancer only when they are told to do so by the doctors. Don’t do a self research and start off. Some types of complementary and alternative therapies for cancer are:

1. Acupuncture – This is often suggested to the cancer patients. It ensures that the nerves are relaxed and the person feels more at peace and happiness. It helps to provide a mental and physical relaxation. It is often suggested as complementary and alternative therapies for cancer. However, the patient must ensure that he or she gets it done from an expert alone.
2. Yoga – We have discussed a lot about how yoga can be extremely beneficial in cancer. The doctors often come up with yoga as complementary and alternative therapies for cancer. Yoga is a very important way to ensure that the mind and the body are relaxed. It has both mental and physical advantages. The patients of cancer are told to practice the yoga for half an hour a day. These yoga sessions help them to become stronger and fight with the after affects of cancer treatment better.
3. Meditation – There are many types of meditation that you must have heard of. It is an art by which the mind is brought under control. The mind which is wandering all the time is told to focus on something specific. When the mind is in our control we can ensure that it thinks what we want it to. Meditation concentrates on the breathing. The longer a person can focus on the breathing process the better it is for his or her recovery. Meditation has been in use as complementary and alternative therapies for cancer for many years. It is now being in other treatments too.
4. Biofeedback – In this method the patients are told to use simple machines. This helps the patients to understand the body functions. For example to follow their heart rates, etc. These functions are always present in the body but we seldom pay any importance to them.
5. Imagery – this form of complementary and alternative therapies for cancer is suggested to the patients who are a little imaginative. They are told to imagine some beautiful scenes, pictures and experiences. These help them to feel better and happy. As a result they for sometime forget the pain. They also become happy. Happiness can play a vital role in the recovery of the cancer patients.
6. Creative outlets – some people who are suffering from cancer are told to learn and persue a hobby. It can be painting, writing, singing, anything. When they are involved in these activities their minds get a break from thinking about cancer. As a result they get to relax. This can play a vital role in their recovery.
7. Message – a soothing massage can relax anyone. This is exactly why it is used as very common complementary and alternative therapies for cancer. The cancer patient is told to get a good massage that will help them to relax. The cancer treatments can take a toll on the body. These massages can prove to be extremely soothing.
8. Reflexology – it is an art in which pressure from fingers is used to relax the different parts of the body. This too can be suggested an al alternative treatment.
9. There are many herbs, vitamins and other special diets that are suggested to the cancer patients. These diets ensure that the patient can deal with the cancer better and heal much faster.
10. There are many aurvedic and herbal medicines that can be suggested as complementary and alternative therapies for cancer. These are medicines that help the body to become stronger and active. They can be taken only after they are prescribed by the doctors.

We hope that this article helped you to understand what exactly the complementary and alternative therapies for cancer are and how it can be useful in the treatment of cancer. You can consult your doctor today and as per their advice take up any one or two of these treatments.