Alternative medicine in Mesothelioma treatment

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Alternative medicine in Mesothelioma treatment
Mesothelioma Control

Sometimes patients try alternative treatment modes in cancer treating. Those modes can be used in conjunction with traditional cure or instead of it. But most types of alternative cancer treatment still have not been studied, so doctors still fill lack of information about their strength.

Some important notes about alternative medicine in mesothelioma treatment:

The use of alternative medicine may be toxic
The use of alternative medicine may interact with standard treatment, thus reducing the effectiveness of chemotherapy
The use of alternative medicine may be costly, reducing the person's ability to afford standard treatment
It's necessary to know, that the use of alternative medicine may cause intoxication, it may overcome the results of chemotherapy and sometimes it can be even more expensive than standard treatment.

If the person neglects standard treatment in favour of alternative medicine, he will forfeit all the advantages of traditional curing.

A patient who suffers mesothelioma and resorts alternative medicine, should warn his doctor. It Concealing the use of alternative medicine may be detrimental.

Types of alternative medicine:

Acupuncture
Antineoplaston Therapy
Gene Therapy
Herbs
Homeopathy
Immuno-Augmentation Therapy
Photodynamic Therapy
Therapeutic massage
Visual or Guided Imagery
Antineoplaston Therapy
Antineoplastons are naturally occurring proteins found in the urine and blood of humans and other animals. According to their discoverer, Stanislaw Burzynski, M.D., Ph.D., some of those proteins are able to retard tumor growth. "Healthy" samples of this type have been detected in urine. Besides of it, patterns concerned with other disease states including cancer have also been discovered. Abnormal patterns involve absence of lack of some of the substances. Restoring the missing or lacking substances to "healthy" levels is thought to actually reprogram diseased cells to become normal again. The effectiveness of this cure appeals to the National Cancer Institute to be determined in treating advanced malignancies.

Gene Therapy
Gene Therapy or Replacement Gene Therapy, that treats cancer at DNA level, is considered to be the way to correct an abnormal gene that causes cancer to grow out of control. Replacement Gene Therapy includes substitution of a mutated or missing gene to avoid cancer growth.

Immuno-Augmentation Therapy
Immuno-Augmentation Therapy (IAT) was discovered by Lawrence Burton, Ph.D. and since 1977 it has been in practice in the Bahamas. The base of the treatment program is an assessment of immunocompetence and using certain blood factors in order to recover the proper immune balance that enables immune system resistance to the cancer cells.

Photodynamic Therapy
PDT is based on cooperation of a laser and a photosensitive drug: the laser kills only the cancer cells that react to the photosensitive drugs. This method is used along with surgery. Laser light hits infected cells through a fiber optic device.

Visual or Guided Imagery
Visual Imagery's content is creation of mental images which could improve one's health. Relaxation and mental imaging are being used frequently to reduce negative psychological effect of traditional cancer treatment modes. Imagery is very useful in cancer treatment. It's very popular among cancer patients and practitioners even in advanced cases of disease. Martin Rossman, M.D, wrote the classic book on this subject, named "Healing Yourself: A Step-By-Step Program for Better Health Through Imagery".

Guided imagery involves practicing hypnosis in order to reach a deeper state of relaxation, where an imaginary experience seems so real that it contains all senses and emotions.

This therapy is especially effective when images that used to deal with the deepest parts of the mind involve symbols of deep feelings. Positive feelings, such as pleasure, self-worth, healing and simple relaxation help to improve stamina.

Among other alternative therapies in mesothelioma treatment, acupuncture, herbs, homeopathy, and therapeutic massage can be named. These practices are frequently used together with traditional methods. Integrative approach in mesothelioma treatment is preferential because of its positive influence on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. However, no treatment should be started without consultation with a specialist in these fields and with attending doctor.

There are no evidences of the effectiveness of alternative practices in mesothelioma treatment and patients often resort that treatment modes because of poor prognosis. But consulting the physicians is always recommended before trying any methods. There are lots of additional time-tried remedies that may improve patient's health, such as meditation along with relaxation, pain decreasing massage and guided imagery to avoid loathing.

Complementary and alternative medicine can accompany traditional treatment because it supports cure methods that not accepted by conventional medicine, such as Far Eastern medicine, acupuncture, herbs, homeopathy, and therapeutic massage.

These therapies called complementary when they used in conjunction with traditional medicine. Lots of these methods are supposed to be holistic for their ability to improve all types of health: mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. Medical curriculum rarely includes these treatments, and they generally not covered under insurance policies.

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