When you are diagnosed with cancer and start undergoing cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy, you may assume that these conventional medical cancer treatments are the only way that you can and should address and treat cancer. However, cancer treatment can also be holistic in nature. Holistic care means treating the whole person rather than just the primary cause of their issues. It essentially means that you are more than just your tumor and need treatments that recognize that fact. Get to know some of the holistic cancer treatment options available to you. Then, you can try incorporating these treatments in with the standard cancer treatments you are already receiving. 

Massage Therapy

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy both can cause numerous side effects and symptoms. This can include nausea and vomiting, body aches, and more. All of these symptoms that occur along with conventional cancer treatments can cause tension throughout the body. You may get tense in anticipation of these symptoms after a round of treatment or the symptoms themselves can cause added tension. Add to that the fact that having cancer already makes you stressed and tense and your body will basically be one giant muscle knot of tension. 

Massage therapy can help relieve some of those physical reactions to stress and worry. A massage therapist will focus on finding muscle knots and points of undue tension throughout the back and the rest of the body. They will then use a combination of pressure and stroking techniques to try to remove the physical tension in the muscles. Massage therapy can help with pain relief when dealing with cancer as well as overall stress relief and relaxation, helping you feel more up to the challenges of battling cancer. 

Counseling

Having cancer and going through treatment can take a toll on your mind and your emotions. Many people with cancer develop depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues as they deal with their disease. Counseling can help with those conditions as well as the general stress and worry that come along with fighting cancer. 

If you choose to go to a counselor, you will be able to go to a safe space regularly where you can openly discuss your thoughts and feelings about what is going on without judgment. Oftentimes, it is hard for cancer patients to discuss these things with family and friends without having to filter or sensor themselves to avoid causing those loved ones additional worry or pain. In counseling, you will be working with an unbiased therapist who will listen to you without making things personal (for them). This in and of itself can be highly beneficial to your emotional well-being while dealing with cancer. 

In addition to that major benefit, counseling can also help you develop coping strategies for dealing with stress and worry, and can even help you with pain management techniques from a mental standpoint. You can also work with your counselor on practical planning related to your cancer diagnosis and more. The therapist can be a great emotional support to have and can give you strategies and techniques to help you cope with whatever is to come throughout your battle with cancer. 

These holistic cancer treatment options can easily be incorporated to an existing cancer treatment program. Give them a try as soon as possible.  Visit a site like http://swoncology.net/ for more help.