Alternative Treatments for Pain Relief Management for Cancer Patients
The physical, mental, social, and spiritual facets of a person’s existence are all included in their quality of life (QoL). One physical aspect of cancer that significantly affects a patient’s quality of life is cancer pain. Cancer patients still experience 50–70% of uncontrolled pain and fear their agony more than death even though controlling cancer pain requires a toolbox full of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies. Cancer pain is complicated and complex to grasp.
Treatments done in conjunction with regular therapies are referred to as “complementary medicine.” Clinicians and pain specialists have acknowledged that no matter how many resources are available or how far medical technology has advanced, it will never be possible to completely remove pain in cancer patients. About 50 to 70 percent of cancer patients have uncontrollable agony that is accompanied by anxiety, melancholy, suicidal ideation, and a fear of pain greater than death. Healthcare workers and patients frequently mistakenly believe that cancer pain is inevitable and that pain is an integral part of all human suffering. As a result, non-pharmacological approaches and complementary treatments are being tried in addition to pharmacological ones for pain management.
Acupuncture, yoga, hypnosis, guided imagery, biofeedback, aromatherapy, herbal treatments, massages, and many other practices are included in complementary and alternative medicine. Due to possible dissatisfaction with traditional medicine, a significant portion of cancer pain sufferers today uses complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
How might complementary medicine benefit cancer patients?
Alternative cancer therapies may not directly treat your cancer, but they may help you manage its symptoms and signs, including stress, exhaustion, nausea and vomiting, pain, worry, and difficulties sleeping.
Treatments Worth Trying
Acupuncture
At specific locations on your skin, a professional uses tiny needles to provide acupuncture. According to studies, acupuncture may be useful in reducing chemotherapy-related nausea. In some cases, acupuncture can help cancer patients with their pain. Consult your doctor before getting acupuncture if you’re on blood thinners or have low blood counts.
Aromatherapy
Fragrant oils are used in aromatherapy to create a relaxing effect. When receiving a massage or taking a bath, you can apply oils to your skin that have been infused with aromas like lavender. The benefits of aromatherapy may include pain, tension, and nausea relief. Avoid using a lot of lavender and tea tree oil on the skin if you have a malignancy that is oestrogen sensitive, such as some breast cancers.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
A popular form of talk therapy is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). A mental health professional, such as a psychotherapist or therapist, works with you to view difficult events more clearly and react in a more effective manner during a CBT session.CBT may be able to assist cancer patients with their sleep issues.
Hypnosis
A highly focused condition is hypnosis. A therapist may hypnotise you during a hypnotherapy session by speaking in a soothing manner and assisting with relaxation. The therapist will then assist you in concentrating on objectives like managing your discomfort and lessening your tension.
Cancer patients who are dealing with worry, discomfort, tension, and other side effects of chemotherapy may find relief through hypnosis.
Massage
Your massage therapist will knead your skin, muscles, and tendons while they work to calm you and ease any tension in your body. There are various massage techniques. Studies have shown that massage can be effective in reducing pain in persons with cancer. Massage can be mild and moderate or deep and more intense. Additionally, it might ease stress, weariness, and anxiety.
If you have extremely low blood counts, avoid getting a massage. Request that the massage therapist refrains from working on or near any tumours, radiation treatment sites, or surgical scars. Ask the massage therapist to use light pressure rather than deep massage if you have osteoporosis, cancer of the bones, or any other bone problems.
Music Therapy
You might sing, play an instrument, or create lyrics while participating in music therapy sessions. You can take part in music therapy in a group setting or under the guidance of a qualified music therapist who will guide you through activities catered to your unique needs. In addition to reducing pain, worry, and tension, music therapy may also aid with nausea and vomiting management.
Tai Chi
Tai chi is a form of exercise that combines slow, deliberate breathing with soft motions. You can learn tai chi with a teacher, or you can do it alone by watching or reading books on the subject. Tai chi exercises could reduce stress.
Tai chi is mostly risk-free. Since tai chi moves slowly, it doesn’t demand a lot of physical strength, and the routines are simple to modify to your own capabilities. However, consult your doctor before starting tai chi. Avoid any painful tai chi movements.
Yoga
Yoga mixes deep breathing with stretching exercises. You arrange your body in a variety of postures during a yoga session that calls for bending, twisting, and stretching. Yoga comes in a variety of forms, each with unique variants.
People with cancer may find some respite from stress through yoga. Also proven to enhance sleep and lessen weariness is yoga.
Conclusion
The worst parts of fighting cancer are frequently the agony and incapacitating exhaustion caused by cancer treatments rather than just the disease’s symptoms. Cancer sufferers go through a long path of physical tribulations, whether they are dealing with extreme pain due to terminal cancer or continuous nausea and vomiting brought on by chemotherapy/radiation or pain from surgery. To sum up, pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy can be used to effectively improve a cancer patient’s quality of life. CAM therapy for cancer patients has expanded quickly in recent years. However, it needs to be guided by scientific investigation, medical judgement, governing bodies, and group decision-making.
Consult your doctor or a skin specialist if required, references for this article: NCBI.
