Hello
This month in our Health in Focus posts, we’re looking at some of the different approaches to management of cancer symptoms and side effects of treatment. Today we’ll look more closely at complementary therapies. We’ll also cover food and sleep in our future posts in the series.
Complementary therapies don’t aim to directly treat cancer, but many people find that therapies including touch, energy and mind-body therapies help them to manage their symptoms and side effects and also to relax, sleep better and cope with some of the psychological aspects of the diagnosis and treatment. They can be used in addition to conventional medical approaches such as surgery and chemotherapy (where it’s safe to do so).
Alternative therapies, by contrast, are used instead of conventional medical treatment, and some claim to treat or cure cancer. There is no evidence to support these claims, and we would advise caution and seeking medical advice about any alternative therapeutic approach. In this post, we are only looking at complementary therapies.
Studies into the effects of complementary therapies are often quite small, so the evidence remains limited. More research is needed to confirm whether some complementary therapies can alleviate certain symptoms. For example, acupuncture may help to relieve nausea in people having chemotherapy (macmillan.org.uk/cancer-inf..., and there is some evidence that acupressure can help with fatigue (macmillan.org.uk/cancer-inf....
However, many people diagnosed with cancer find complementary therapies both beneficial and enjoyable. They’re generally safe (although it’s important to always get medical advice first) and side effects are rare and usually relatively mild.
As we mentioned in last week’s post healthunlocked.com/ovacome/..., complementary therapies may be available on the NHS through hospital or community palliative care teams. Many cancer centres also offer complementary therapies free of charge. The therapists working in these settings are likely to be specially trained to treat people diagnosed with cancer and to be familiar with cancer treatments and understand how to offer therapy safely.
You can also find a complementary therapist for yourself and have the therapy privately. If you do this, it’s important to tell them about your cancer diagnosis and treatment and ask about their qualifications and any training and experience in treating people with cancer.
Some professions, such as doctors, midwives and dietitians are regulated professions, which means that by law practitioners must be registered with the relevant regulatory body to use that title. Many complementary therapies have a similar professional body, which holds a register of practitioners who have obtained the necessary qualifications and met the standards for membership. Although membership is often voluntary, so a therapist can practise without being registered, registration may offer some reassurance that the therapist is suitably qualified and meets certain standards.
If you’re interested in trying complementary therapies, your hospital team or local cancer centre may be able to help you to find services in your area. If you would like to search for a therapist yourself, the following professional bodies have directories of registered practitioners:
Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (cnhc.org.uk/) (Alexander Technique teaching; Aromatherapy; Bowen Therapy; Colon Hydrotherapy, Craniosacral Therapy; Healing; Hypnotherapy; Kinesiology; Massage Therapy; Microsystems Acupuncture; Naturopathy; Nutritional Therapy; Reflexology; Reiki; Shiatsu; Sports Massage; Sports Therapy; Yoga Therapy)
British Acupuncture Council (acupuncture.org.uk/componen...
National Institute of Medical Herbalists (nimh.org.uk/find-a-herbalist/)
The Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture UK (atcm.co.uk/find-a-practitio... (Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture and massage)
For a more detailed list of professional bodies and other useful organisations, see Cancer and complementary therapies (be.macmillan.org.uk/downloa... (pages 82-5).
We have also posted previously in more detail about individual complementary therapies and sources of further information. You can find those posts at:
Sources of information about therapists - healthunlocked.com/ovacome/...
Energetic therapies - healthunlocked.com/ovacome/...
Touch therapies - healthunlocked.com/ovacome/...
Kinesiology - Kinesiology: healthunlocked.com/ovacome/...
Reflexology - healthunlocked.com/ovacome/...
Acupuncture - healthunlocked.com/ovacome/...
Meditation and mindfulness - healthunlocked.com/ovacome/...
You can find more information about complementary therapies at:
macmillan.org.uk/cancer-inf...
about-cancer.cancerresearch...
If you would like to share your experiences of complementary therapies or have any tips for someone thinking of trying one, please comment on this post. If you would like more information or have any questions, please contact our Support Service on 0800 008 7054 or at support@ovacome.org.uk.
Best wishes
Julia
Ovacome Support
Clinical reflexologist in South Manchester? 
