Natural Treatments for Breast Cancer

Many women suffering from breast cancer are interested in learning more about natural treatment options. This type of treatment is often referred to in the medical field and Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatment, and there are actually a number of different types of treatment options that fall under this category.

Understanding CAM

CAM is any type of medical practice, system, or product that is not considered to be the standard form of care. There are three areas of natural breast cancer treatment that fall under this category: Complementary Medicine, Alternative Medicine, and Integrative Medicine.

Complementary medicines are those that are used along with standard medical treatments like chemotherapy and surgery. A common complementary treatment is acupuncture, which is used to help with the side effects associated with cancer treatment. Alternative medicine, on the other hand, is a natural treatment approach that is used instead of standard medical treatments. Special diets to treat cancer, for example, may be used rather than chemotherapy. Integrative medicine takes care of your mind, body, and spirit by combining standard medicine techniques with CAM techniques.

Natural Breast Cancer Treatment Techniques Involving the Mind and Body

There are a number of treatment techniques you can utilize to help ease the pain and assist in the treatment process. Some of these techniques include:

Biofeedback - using machines to learn how to affect certain bodily functions you are normally not aware of, such as your heart rate.

Meditation - focusing breathing or repeating words or phrases in order to calm your mind.

Yoga - using special stretches and poses with special attention given to your breathing.

Hypnosis - creating a state of relaxed and focused attention and concentrating on certain ideas, feelings, or suggestions to assist in the healing process.

Creative Outlets - special therapy such as dance, music, and art.

Imagery - imagining certain pictures, scenes, or experiences in order to help the body heal.