The power of integrative treatment in cancer care
One of the most challenging things about receiving a cancer diagnosis is feeling the lack of control that is often associated with becoming a patient. Your focus changes to scheduling medical appointments, receiving scans and tests, sitting in waiting rooms and treatment rooms, going to pharmacies, getting lab draws, and on and on and on. It can feel overwhelming.
Cancer treatment is a bit of an endurance event and doing your best to remain strong, both physically andmentally, is important. Patients are turning to integrative treatment methods in increasing numbers to help them maintain the strength and resilience they need to get through their treatment.
Alongside standard care options – things like chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, there are alternative or complementary practices, an integrative approach, that patients can explore with their doctor to help them cope with symptoms of cancer and side effects related to treatment. These may range from changes in diet to adding meditation to your daily routine, acupuncture, massage, aromatherapy or practicing yoga.
“There is great value in working with your oncologist to discover what is right for you in helping you cope and manage your cancer treatment,” says Srilata Gundala, MD, Hemotolagist-Oncologist, and owner and operator of Hope & Healing Cancer Services. “No one needs to be a passive participant in their care. You can partner with your provider to help you feel more in control, and integrative therapies can help you do that,”
Srilata Gundala, MD
Integrative therapies can help patients become more active participants in their care and wellbeing. So much of cancer care can feel passive, contributing to a sense of patients losing control over their days, their health, and even themselves. Choosing to seek an extra layer of self-care practices can help restore the sense of control that has been lost in an uncertain time.
These care practices can contribute to an improved sense of overall health. They may be as simple as basic lifestyle modifications, like getting better rest or consciously working to create the space and conditions for relaxation (new headphones or bedding or even green tea are great examples of this), to scheduling appointments for a massage or acupuncture, even hiring a trainer for supervised exercise and tips on maintaining a sense of wellness through the rigors of treatment.
All of these efforts and integrative methods keep the emphasis on the patient, and their wellbeing. Integrative treatment is a patient-centered approach to cancer care that allows those receiving standard treatment to take a more active role in their mental and physical health, both during treatment and in the follow-up phase of aftercare.
If you want to learn more about integrative care during cancer treatment, the National Institutes of Health has provided web-based resources you can access HERE.
Written By: Sheila Quirke, MSW
Reviewed By: Srilata Gundala, MD
