Mesothelioma Introduction and Alternative Treatment

By: http://www.skybluecross.com/
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is usually caused by previous exposure to asbestos. It is actually one of the deadliest diseases known to man and is affecting approximately 3,000 U.S. citizens every year. The cycle starts when someone inhales the dust particles of decomposing asbestos. This essentially eats the lining of your lungs, turning into a deadly form of cancer. After exposure, malignant cells begin to develop in the mesothelium. This is a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs.
Mesothelioma Information - History of Asbestos
Commercial use of asbestos began in North America in the late 1800s. The use of asbestos increased in early to mid 1900s with asbestos-containing products being utilized in the construction industry, automotive industry and manufacturing industry. For over 50 years, asbestos-containing products were not regulated and manufacturers neglected to inform their workers of potential hazards of asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma Information - Asbestos Today
Asbestos can be used in various industrial products, including cement, roof shingles, insulation and flooring products. Asbestos manufacture is the most dangerous part because tiny asbestos particles can float into the air. If a certain amount is inhaled, this can cause mesothelioma and also increase the risk of other types of cancer such as lung cancer forming in the future. Smokers that are exposed to asbestos greatly increase the chance of developing lung cancer and/or bronchial carcinoma.
Mesothelioma Information - Exposure
Many of us have been exposed to asbestos in the air at some point in our life. Asbestos can be found in natural deposits in the earth and from deterioration of asbestos products. Most of us do not get sick from it or develop mesothelioma. The majority of people that do get sick have worked in jobs where they are exposed over long periods of time. This includes work in industrial environments such as factories, mines and actual asbestos manufacturing facilities. There have even been a few cases where family members have been exposed to asbestos simply by washing the clothes of such workers. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recently set limits to levels of asbestos exposure allowed in the workplace. They have set strict guidelines such as respirators, personal protective equipment (PPE) and asbestos monitors.
Mesothelioma Information - Mesothelioma Symptoms
Mesothelioma symptoms might not appear for at least 20 years and as great as 40-50 years after exposure. Some Mesothelioma symptoms include:
Shortness of breath
Chest Wall Pain
Cough
Weight Loss
Abdominal Sweating
Anemia
In some severe instances, a person's lung may collapse. With time, the disease will spread to other parts of the body. It will not spread to the bone or brain. There are many other Mesothelioma symptoms not listed here as well.
Mesothelioma Information - Mesothelioma Diagnosis
As you can see, there are many mesothelioma symptoms and some of these symptoms can be present for other conditions. Therefore, diagnosing mesothelioma is somewhat difficult. As with other illnesses, a proper diagnosis will begin with reviewing a patient's medical history. Of course, knowing the patient's employment history is very important. This history could indicate possible exposure to asbestos. After a physical exam is performed, the patient might be given a chest x-ray, a CAT scan and some lung tests. Eventually, a biopsy will need to be performed to confirm mesothelioma. This involves a sample of tissue being tested under a microscope by a Pathologist.
Mesothelioma Information - Incidence
As the years pass, more and more cases of Mesothelioma are found. It is still a relatively rare form of cancer. The incidence rate around the world is around 1 in a million. It is much higher in the U.S. and other industrialized countries. It is found more often in men than women and risk obviously increases with age.
Mesothelioma Information - Alternative Treatments:
Alternative treatments that may benefit individuals who suffer from asbestos cancer include:
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is often used as a palliative therapy, involving the insertion of very narrow needles into the skin at specific pressure points. This has been proven to relieve pain in many individuals suffering from a wide variety of ailments, including mesothelioma.
Aromatherapy
This method of therapy involves the use of aromatic oils, plants, and other substances to be used in conjunction with massage and or baths. These fragrances can result in a heightened mood, which can promote good health and pain relief.
Art Therapy
Art therapy is an alternative therapy than can help cancer patients deal with the physical and emotional challenges that they often experience during treatment.
Biofeedback Therapy
Biofeedback, also known as mind-body therapy, can help individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma manage the pain that is often associated with the disease.
Bowenwork
Bowenwork can help elicit the relaxation response in mesothelioma cancer patients to help lessen the side effects associated with traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is an alternative therapy used to help mesothelioma cancer patients manage pain while going through conventional treatments like chemotherapy.
Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral Therapy is an alternative treatment that can help manage pain and the side effects of more conventional treatments for mesothelioma.
Dance Therapy
Dance therapy is an expressive method of treatment that helps patients connect with the emotional issues that exist when dealing with a serious illness like mesothelioma cancer.
Emotional Freedom Technique
The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is used as a complementary therapy to other conventional mesothelioma cancer treatments to help relieve pain and anxiety in patients.
Feng Shui
The Chinese practice of Feng Shui recommends making changes to a cancer patient's environment to enhance the flow of Qi. This complementary therapy can support mesothelioma cancer patients throughout their mesothelioma treatment.
Healing and Therapeutic Touch Therapy
Healing Touch Therapy is an emerging therapy that is becoming more widely used by patients battling cancer like mesothelioma. This therapy invokes the relaxation response in patients and can help lessen the negative side effects associated with conventional cancer treatments.
Health Coaching
Health Coaching can help mesothelioma patients enjoy better quality of life, lessen pain and stress and make important lifestyle changes that can help speed up recovery from their cancer treatment.
Herbal & Nutritional Supplements
Many natural herbs have natural medicinal aspects which have been used to treat seemingly incurable ailments. Many times, nutritional Supplements work in conjunction with herbal remedies to provide the body with the necessary vitamins and minerals to fight off infection and other illness.
Homeopathy
Many cancer patients, including those battling malignant mesothelioma, have turned to homeopathy because it is a natural alternative to aggressive conventional cancer treatment drugs and can help manage the adverse side effects associated with them.
Hypnotherapy
Guided hypnosis sessions can have substantial positive effect on a patient undergoing treatment for cancer, including mesothelioma. For this reason, hypnosis is now being increasingly integrated into alternative cancer treatment regimens.
Light Therapy
Light therapy is a complementary therapy that some cancer patients find helpful to throughout the course of their conventional treatment to help reduce pain, stress and anxiety.
Lymph Drainage Therapy
Manual lymph drainage therapy is a technique that uses very gentle manipulation to help reduce swelling in the body after surgery or radiation treatment in mesothelioma cancer patients.
Manual Therapy
Integrative manual therapy is a gentle, non-invasive form of therapy that can be very helpful for cancer patients looking to ease pain and anxiety from their illness.
Massage
Massage therapy is the practice of hands-on physical manipulation of the body's soft tissue. Massage can be both relaxing and pain-relieving. Massage methods include Acupressure, Anma, and Balinese, all of which have differing effects on the body. Massage is often used during treatments for certain health conditions, like cancer, to ease muscle tension and induce relaxation.
Meditation
Meditation is the process of moving into deep relaxation. It is therapeutic in the sense that it can help patients develop a calm mind to make sound decisions and be at peace with health conditions they may have, including cancer like mesothelioma.
Music Therapy
Music therapy is a complementary therapy than can help alleviate the uncomfortable side effects of cancer treatment as well as help reduce both chronic and acute pain.
Myofascial Therapy
Myofascial therapy can be used by cancer patients, including those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, to help manage the pain that sometimes accompanies traditional cancer treatment.
Naturopathy
Naturopathy is an alternative paradigm of medicine that focuses on nature's remedy and the body's intrinsic ability to heal itself. Naturopathy favors a holistic approach to treating illnesses like mesothelioma through the use of mineral, diet, and lifestyle-based remedies.
Nutritional Resources
Proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle can prove to be an important factor in the treatment of someone who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Osteopathy
Osteopathy is a complementary therapy that mesothelioma cancer patients find helpful for reducing stress, fatigue and some of the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy.
Personal Fitness and Training
Maintaining some level of movement can be a tremendous help to cancer patients undergoing treatment and can lead to improved outlook and quality of life. There are personal fitness trainers that are specifically trained to provide this type of support to cancer patients.
Pet Therapy
Pet Therapy, or animal-assisted therapy, utilizes dogs and other animals as a soothing and relaxing modality for patients battling mesothelioma and other cancer.
Reflexology
Foot reflexology is an alternative treatment therapy designed to help mesothelioma cancer patients manage pain.
Reiki
Reiki promotes a deep sense of relaxation and well-being and is an alternative therapy that many mesothelioma cancer patients are now using as part of their overall treatment plan.
Sound Therapy
Some cancer patients welcome the use of more non-invasive therapies, like sound therapy, that can help alleviate the stress and pain that is often associated with more traditional forms of cancer treatment.
TENS Therapy
Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation is used as a palliative care option. An electrical stimulation is directed through different areas of the body resulting in pain relief which can increase the level of endorphins. TENS Therapy is typically administered by a physical therapist, but can also be done at home if a patient has the necessary documentation for TENS equipment.
Thermography
Thermography, which is a type of medical imaging, can help detect problems in the body, like mesothelioma cancer, and can also aid in monitoring the healing process.
Yoga
Yoga is a combination of meditation and movement. Yoga is of Hindu origin and is designed to promote a heightened sense of oneness between body and mind, inducing relaxation and contentment.