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Complementary and Holistic Medicine and Metastatic Breast Cancer
The goal of complementary and holistic medicine is to balance, strengthen, and energize you as a whole person — physically, mentally, and emotionally — while conventional medicine fights the cancer. Some people with metastatic breast cancer have found that complementary therapies help to:
- ease the symptoms of metastatic breast cancer
- lessen treatment side effects
- improve quality of life
Complementary medicine can include practices such as acupuncture, massage, hypnosis, meditation, and yoga. Some dietary supplements also are considered to be forms of complementary medicine.
Much research is being done to better understand the benefits complementary medicine therapies offer people diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Although some studies have shown complementary medicine techniques provide benefits, complementary techniques usually haven't undergone the same rigorous testing as conventional medicine.
If you're considering adding complementary and holistic medicine techniques to your treatment plan, first learn as much as you can about the therapy and talk to your doctors. You want to be sure the therapy is safe and won't interact with any other treatments you're having.
Visit Complementary & Holistic Medicine for more information on types of complementary techniques and the healing benefits they may provide.
