Help Yourself to Healing

What Are Your Cancer Care Choices?

Your Questions Answered - # 2

by Puja Thomson, January 29, 2008

 

I'm continuing to give my answers to questions I have been frequently asked. This particular blog will help you get your bearings in the face of a challenging diagnosis. It gives an overview of the choices you can make when considering treatment options.

Your diagnosis will most likely come through screening following a recommendation from a primary care physician or oncologist (cancer MD). Mainstream methods of treatment are then recommended, generally without reference to other modalities. Perhaps you, like many others, have heard of a confusing array of treatment—from friends, articles, TV—but not from your doctor. Hence the questions.

In brief:

There are two major approaches to cancer care which until recently have worked separately from one another:

  • Western mainstream medicine, based on the relatively recent scientific discoveries of the last 300 years, tends to focus on specific parts of the body and recommends surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and high tech procedures, making use of drugs and synthetic substances. It is best at dealing with acute situations. This approach is also known as allopathy.
  • Holistic practitioners tend look at the whole person and the dynamic interaction of body, mind and spirit and try to find the underlying cause of a symptom. It tends to reclaim ancient healing systems such as Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine and rely on natural substances like herbs, vitamins, minerals, micronutrients and whole foods. These health professionals most often practice complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Until recently, people who were knowledgeable about conventional medicine, didn’t seem to know much about complementary and alternative modalities; Those who knew a lot about alternative systems, weren’t up-to-date about the latest in mainstream cancer treatment advances. I’m happy to say that attitudes to both are changing and the emerging field of integrative medicine combines natural and mainstream approaches. Be on the look out for doctors who are trained in both mainstream and some form of complementary medicine.

When you are making treatment decisions about your physical body, it is important to seek state-of-the-art professional medical information with recommendations for the stage and type of your illness. It is also important to look at your preferred choice of medical interventions in the past and how you believe healing happens now, not only to the physical body, but energetically to the whole person—body, mind, emotions and spirit.

For those of you who want detailed information, please refer to Chapter 3 titled “Harness the Power of Professional Support—Your Doctors and Health-care Practitioners” in AFTER SHOCK: FROM CANCER DIAGNOSIS TO HEALING.

AFTER SHOCK: FROM CANCER DIAGNOSIS TO HEALING is an award-winning step-by-step guide to help you navigate your way written by Puja A. J. Thomson. Look for AFTER SHOCK at your local library or purchase your own copy today


If you have questions to ask me, please email me at info@aftershockfromcancer.com.

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