Are you using integrative therapy during your cancer treatment?

Being treated for cancer is more than just eliminating cancer cells that attempt to take over an organ or the body. While this is the goal in order to become cancer-free or at least increase the amount of time a person may have left, it is just as important to maintain your quality of life during treatment. Ever heard of integrative therapy? If not, you should know about it. 

Being diagnosed with cancer is devastating for anyone to hear. Most people who have been diagnosed with cancer often just go through the motions – they get the necessary treatment as recommended by their oncologist and hope for the best. But there is more to being treated for cancer than the type of treatment you receive. It is also about integrative therapy. Integrative therapy is an important approach that patients should be having during their cancer treatment because it can help them maintain and improve their quality of life. 

Some of the most important factors to keep in mind when beingtreated for cancer is to stay strong, stay healthy, and maintain your daily routines in regards to your career, family, or social life. Most patients with cancer have a very difficult time maintaining these things during their treatment because they suddenly feel hopeless and do not take the necessary steps to stay strong, both mentally and physically. This is where integrative therapy comes in. It can help with this. 

How Cancer is Treated

Treatment for cancer usually consists of surgery, radiationtherapy, or chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatment options are be combined depending on the stage of the cancer. Integrative therapy is a customized treatment plan which works by combining these treatment options with therapies specifically designed to maintain quality of life during treatment. Integrative therapies may include chiropractic care, pain management, oncology rehabilitation, physical therapy, mind-body therapy, acupuncture, nutritional counseling, naturopathic medicine, spiritual support or meditation. These types of therapies would help a patient during their cancer treatment with things like increasing their energy, keeping their immune system strong,and protecting their body against malnutrition. 

Types of Integrative Therapies

Here are some examples of the types of integrative therapies that can help maintain quality of life during a patient’s cancer treatment:

• Mind-body therapy: Individual counseling or family counseling to help cope with the emotional effects of cancer. This may also include stress management or joining a support group to improve emotional well-being. 

• Nutritional counseling: A registered or licensed dietician or nutritionist will help create a customized meal plan to stick with during treatment. This will help prevent malnutrition, decrease side effects, and improve overall well-being. 

• Chiropractic care: Can help patients deal with the pain and discomfort that may occur as the cancer affects your musculoskeletal system.

• Naturopathic medicine: A naturopathic clinician uses various natural therapies to improve your immune system, increase energy, and decrease side effects of treatment. 

• Pain management: Relieves pain and improves energy which can help fight the cancer.  

• Oncology rehabilitation: May include physical, occupational, speech and massage therapy. Helps to rebuild strength and overcome some of the physical side-effects of treatment.

• Spiritual support: Spiritual support can help you or your family improve your mood, help you cope, and help you maintain a positive outlook on your cancer during treatment. 

Because every patient is different, every case of cancer is different, and should therefore be treated accordingly. If one patient feels very depressed during their cancer treatment, they may benefit from spiritual support or mind-body therapy. Likewise, if a patient is struggling with maintaining a healthy diet, they should receive nutritional counseling in addition to their cancer treatment. Integrative therapy is about customizing a treatment plan specific to a person’s needs while they receive one or more of the traditional types of treatment.