Natural Healing Options for Mesothelioma Patients

When a patient is diagnosed with mesothelioma, the first sets of treatments to be discussed are often the same ones offered for other cancers: surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Instead of working to heal the whole body, however, these traditional therapies solely address the cancerous cells. While they can help treat a tumor and cells, the traditional treatments often cause additional harm to the body’s healthy cells, which can lead to side effects like nausea and lung scarring. To avoid these complications, some mesothelioma patients turn to natural, alternative therapies. Many of these therapies are designed to support the patient’s full body health. Supporting the Immune System to Fight Mesothelioma Although mesothelioma is not a disease of the immune system, there is a potential for gains to be made by bolstering the body's own ability to fight the foreign tumors. Several supplements can help support a mesothelioma patient’s immune system, including: · Vitamin C · Vitamin E · Garlic Homeopathic medicines can also be used to enhance an immune system. Homeopathic remedies are comprised of pure water and diluted plant or mineral extracts. You can buy them from a homeopathic practitioner – and sometimes even at quality health-food stores – and they tend to be much gentler on the body than traditional treatments. It should be noted that many traditional doctors don't think much of homeopathy and don't believe these therapies work. But many people swear by them and believe their bodies are better because of them. Some of these supplements play a role in immunotherapy, an approach to treatment that induces an immune system response to mesothelioma tumors. You can read more about immunotherapy for malignant mesothelioma in this Cell Adhesion and Migration article. Other Natural Approaches to Treating Mesothelioma Several other alternative therapies can be used to address mesothelioma symptoms. Acupuncture can help relieve pain, stress and anxiety felt by mesothelioma patients. Unlike anti-anxiety medications, this treatment naturally relieves these feelings, and some mesothelioma patients have also found it easier to breathe after a session. Massage therapy, while not traditionally considered medicine, may also have a role in the natural treatment of mesothelioma. Instead of turning to painkillers and pharmaceuticals, many mesothelioma patients rely on massage to help relieve chronic pain and improve their blood flow. Author bio: Faith Franz is a writer for the Mesothelioma Center. She combines her interests in whole-body health and medical research to educate the mesothelioma community about the newest developments in cancer care.