Mesothelioma Acupuncture Alternative Method

Patients of mesothelioma have a constant companion: Pain. The disease and the medical treatments offered both entail the symptom of pain; pain left unmitigated can be debilitating. In looking for ways to relieve pain, the first experience is with prescribed pain relieving medicines. These may induce side effects or may even become immune from prolonged use. At such times, caregivers may often look to mesothelioma alternative medicine or non-traditional approaches to alleviate the symptoms of the fatal disease.

Traditional Chinese Pain Reliever

Acupuncture used for mesothelioma derives from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is a widely known and used medical system that has been in existence for thousands of years. Most commonly, it is a method to treat the symptoms of a variety of diseases.

The system of Acupuncture is based on the Chinese belief that the human body contains meridians or pathways through which the vital, life giving energies flow. The sum total of a persona includes his/her spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical well being which depends on the balance between the two forces that comprise Qi or the vital energy; these two opposing but complementary forces are: Yin and Yang. A disease is the result of a disbalance between Yin and Yang; this causes pain, illness, or other health problems. Acupuncture is believed to unblock Qi and restore the yin and yang balance within the person's body by placing needles on certain points of the meridian in the body, called acupoints; this prompts a change in physical functions and restores good health.

Positive Effects of  Acupuncture for Mesothelioma

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized the acupuncture needle as "a medical device" after extensive study of this therapy. A wealth of studies is available to prove that acupuncture is effective in the following ways:

• Reducing the pain associated with cancers like mesothelioma and with cancer treatments such as chemotherapy;
• Preventing nausea that is common to cases of chemotherapy; and
• Improving the body's overall immune system.

Where many have reported reduced intake of pain killers, others have noted improvement in side effects of cancer treatment, such as weight loss, cough, chest pain, fever, anxiety, depression, night sweats, hot flashes, dry mouth, speech problems, and fluid in the arms or legs.

Additionally, acupuncture has no side effects of its own. Some reports of mild pain or soreness during the treatments and anxiety attacks owing to fear of needles have been found. The positive feedback on the therapy has also convinced oncologists and hospitals often recommend the use of acupuncture treatment for their mesothelioma  patients. Some hospitals like UCLA Medical Center, routinely offer medical acupuncture before, during, and after chemotherapy treatments.

Like all other forms of mesothelioma treatment, adequate care has to be taken to ensure that treatment is received at the hands of a qualified acupuncture practitioner who uses single-use sterile needles for the mesothelioma acupuncture therapy.