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Chiropractic Services Can Aid Those Undergoing Cancer Treatment

echiropractor — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:14:12 +0000

Chiropractic Services Can Aid Those Undergoing Cancer Treatment

12/04/2009

The experience of a cancer diagnosis and related treatment can be a traumatic one for both the mind and body. Certain aggressive malignancies, including mesothelioma cancer, are extremely difficult to treat and will often require incredibly toxic dosages of either chemotherapy or radiation to effectively eradicate malignant cells. These treatments put the body through a great of stress, pain, and illness. Therefore, some of the most important treatments utilized by patients during cancer care will be those that effectively alleviate cancer-related pain and discomfort.

Integrative oncology emphasizes the use of doctor-recommended complementary or alternative therapies in conjunction with traditional therapies. Often, patients who are healthy enough to manage the pain and discomfort are those who emerge from treatment with the most favorable results. The ability to manage these symptoms then becomes directly correlated to the efficacy of the overall treatment regimen.

Chiropractic care is one emerging area in which patients have introduced into formal and traditional treatment regimens. Musculoskeletal pain is one of the most common symptoms of malignant cell growth as well as radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Chiropractic care has been shown effective in some exploratory clinical trials as a pain management tool. Other services by many chiropractic care providers, such as acupuncture and massage have also assisted in providing and easing of anxiety and decreased pain for those undergoing cancer treatments.

Chiropractic care is not appropriate for all cancer patients, particularly those with whom the introduction of additional stress on the body may be detrimental, or those who are not healthy enough to undergo treatment. Patients are urged to speak with their primary oncologist before commencing any integrative or alternative cancer therapy. Ability to participate in such therapies will depend on any other number of specific patient conditions. However, all patients are encouraged to explore any therapy which improves overall health and quality of life.

James O’Shea
Mesothelioma.com

Referenced:
Alternatives in Cancer Pain Treatment: The Application of Chiropractic Care
http://www.chiro.org/ChiroZine/ABSTRACTS/Alternatives_in_Cancer_Pain.shtml

Health Issues Reduced Through Chiropractics: Headaches and Migraines

echiropractor — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:08:33 +0000

People who suffer from health issues such as chronic headaches or migraines can seek chiropractic care as an alternative to prescription or over-the-counter medications. Chiropractic methods seek to eliminate pain through techniques such as massage, spinal manipulation, and adjustments of the joints and soft tissue. Some migraines are believed to occur through subluxation, the misalignment of the vertebrae in the spine. This causes the nerves that travel to the brain to become irritated and inflamed. When the spine and vertebrae are realigned, it relieves pressure on the irritated nerves, resulting in the reduction of headache pain.

Research

Research conducted by the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER) shows the effectiveness chiropractic care has on migraines and chronic headaches. The study done at Duke University in 2001, demonstrated different types of physical and mental treatments used to treat patients suffering from chronic headaches. Researchers compared chiropractic care to amitriptyline, a medication used for headaches, and found that chiropractic care was highly effective for patients with tension headaches. Even after chiropractic therapy was discontinued, patients continued to see reduction in headache tension whereas patients on medication reverted back to the same state as before. Chiropractic care can improve physical health and allows the body to fix a correction that lasts beyond the actual treatment itself.

Carpel Tunnel Syndrome

echiropractor — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:20:25 +0000

Carpel tunnel syndrome affects thousands of people each year; it is a common problem in young and older adults. Carpel tunnel truly causes a lot of pain, discomfort and numbness in the wrist hands and arms, daily tasks can become unbearable and it may become hard for a person to work and move their hands and arms. A lot of patients that are diagnosed with carpel tunnel use their hands and arms repetitively, most of them have physical jobs that require them to lift objects while standing on their feet all day. Patients that work in the construction field, hairstyling industry or even patients that work in an office and type can easily get carpel tunnel. Some patients get carpel tunnel after just a few years and others never get carpel tunnel, it truly depends on how the patient uses his or her hands, arms and wrists. Carpel tunnel patients can also get carpel tunnel from being overweight or by experiencing a previous injury, if you feel pain, numbness or tingling in your wrists and hands it’s important to make an appointment to visit your doctor or specialist. The good news is there are many different treatment options available now to help alleviate the pain and symptoms felt by carpel tunnel. Patients are typically given many tools to help them manage their pain at home; these tools might include a wrist band along with ice packs and exercises that can be performed at home. Patients that have more serious cases of carpel tunnel may be required to undergo surgery; the surgery is only used if all other options have been exhausted. The surgery is essentially used to help alleviate the pressure felt in the hands and wrist; the procedure will actually make an incision to the ligament to relieve the pain felt in the nerves of the hands. If you do not seek treatment you may be forced to undergo surgery, it’s vital that you see a doctor once your symptoms become reoccurring so your doctor can help slow the progression of the syndrome.

Massage Therapy Products

echiropractor — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:26:19 +0000

According to Massage Today, Massage Therapy has existed for centuries, and was even described in the writings of Hippocrates, a very important person in the development of medicine. Therapeutic Massage involves using the hands, elbows, feet, or the use of instruments to provide a therapeutic effect on the body. Massage therapy is done utilizing different techniques such as effleurage, pettrissage, kneading, tapotement, trigger point release, myofascial release, and many more. There are many massage therapy products used in conjunction with massage therapy. Massage may be done with or without the use of lotion and oils. These range significantly, some are scent-free and hypoallergenic, others possess strong scents to fulfill the clients liking. There are many different brands of lotions/oils and not all are comparable as far as workability; the two better ones on the market today are Biotone advanced therapy massage lotion and gel, and Jojoba lotion. Analgesic creams may be incorporated such as Biofreeze and Sombra; these decrease inflammation and pain perception. Massage therapy tools like t-bars, may be used to perform muscle stripping and trigger point release to assist in breaking up fibrous adhesions within taut muscles. There are personal self-assisted tools, such as the Thera cane. When heating the client for warmth or the assistance in breaking up adhesions, a table warmer is particularly useful in achieving this effect. It warms the entire body allowing blood to circulate throughout the body close to the surface, all the while decreasing muscle tension and making the tissue more mobile. Other types of massage therapy products include orthopedic pillows, pregnancy pillows and bolsters, and therapeutic music. Pregnancy massage requires the use of many pillows, specifically a body pillow, triangular foam wedges, and bolsters; all are necessary for patient comfort, stabilization, and relaxation without compression on the mother’s stomach, legs, or breasts. Massage therapy tools are inexpensive to incorporate into any massage to ease the job of the practitioner and further relax the massage client.

Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture Treatment

echiropractor — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:16:01 +0000

When considering Oriental Medicine treatment, patients must understand that Eastern philosophy on health differs greatly from Western methods of healing. The basis of Oriental Medicine stems on the relationship between Yin and Yang. When Yin and Yang are in balance, the body remains in wonderful, prosperous health. On the other hand, disease results when Yin and Yang become imbalanced. Practitioners of Oriental Medicine analyze not only symptoms that patients exhibit, but also how patients respond to other testing procedures. Great emphasis is put on evaluating the tongue as well as characteristics of the pulse. In Oriental Medicine, all organs are evaluated in relation to the rest of the body.

QI

Very important to the philosophy of Oriental Medicine is the concept of Qi. Qi exists as the universal energy that permeates within all living beings as well as throughout the world. The practice of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine works to remove disruptions in the flow of Qi in the body. In Acupuncture, needles are inserted in various locations in the body that correspond to particular Energy Meridians in the body. By stimulating the Acupuncture points with the needles, the flow of Qi in the body is brought back to balance. In addition, Chinese Herbs are also used to help facilitate the body’s innate healing energy. For more information on Oriental Medicine, visit www.orientalmedicine.com.[1]

[1] (2009). Oriental medicine. Retrieved July 7, 2009 from www.orientalmedicine.com