The diagnosis and treatment of cancer takes a toll on the body and mind.
Supportive care is available to help you manage treatment-related side
effects; improve your physical and mental health, and increase overall
quality of life.
Integrative Services are designed to focus on improving physical, mental,
and spiritual health during and after cancer treatment. The goal is to
optimize health, healing, and overall quality of life. Our services include
Yoga, Meditation, Acupuncture, and Massage. Our care focuses on the person
as a whole.
Treatment sessions include:
Meeting patients where they are on their health journey.
Individual dialogue with patients regarding supportive therapies.
Benefits of integrative therapies include:
Reduce feelings of stress and anxiety
Improved or reduced treatment-related side effects
Increased feelings of mental and physical well-being
Support healing and recovery process
Increased quality of life
Our Services:
Mindfulness Meditation includes breath work and relaxation techniques.
Massage helps reduce physical and mental stress on the body.
Acupuncture works to balance your personal energy for optimum health.
Gentle yoga classes to increase strength, flexibility and coordination
along with breath work.
Unique Access to Expert Treatment Planning
Using an evidence-based approach and working with a team of practitioners,
we will evaluate your unique needs and develop a treatment plan just for you.
Integrative Services
Mindfulness & Meditation
Meditation, relaxation and imagery can help to reduce stress, improve sleep,
mood, and pain, and results in decreased stress hormones and improvement
of immunity.
Mind-body techniques are meant to be practiced regularly to produce beneficial
effects. Each time patients feel the benefit of a technique they are using,
they reinforce a sense of control over their own lives and counter feelings
of hopelessness and helplessness.
Meditation focuses attention on increasing mental awareness and clarity
of mind (Concentrative meditation) or opens attention to whatever goes
through the mind and to the flow of sensations experienced from moment to moment
(Mindfulness meditation). The most extensively studied form of meditation
in oncology is a multicomponent program called Mindfulness-Based Stress
Reduction (MBSR), which includes mindfulness meditation, yoga stretching,
and group dynamics. Practicing mindfulness can be associated with significant
improvement in mood disturbance and stress symptoms.
Qi Gong
Tai Chi incorporates physical movement, breath control, and meditation
and is associated with increased aerobic capacity, muscular strength and
flexibility, and improved quality of life and self-esteem. In elderly
participants, Tai Chi can reduce fall risks and help to maintain mobility.
Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, & Five Elements Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a therapeutic modality originating from traditional Chinese
medicine. Theoretically based on regulation of the flow of “qi”,
or vital energy, by stimulation with needles, heat, or pressure on certain
points on the body, evidence supports the use of acupuncture in treating
some common symptoms experienced by cancer patients, such as pain, nausea,
vomiting, and radiation-induced dry mouth.
In addition, acupuncture may also be helpful for patients suffering from
cancer-related shortness of breath and, cancer-related fatigue, chemotherapy-induced
neuropathy, or post-surgical pain.
Massage
Massage therapy helps relieve common symptoms associated with a cancer
diagnosis and cancer treatment such as anxiety, pain, fatigue, and distress.
When working with cancer patients, the application of deep or intense
pressure during massage is typically avoided.
Integrative Services are available at the James M Stockman Cancer Institute. Call
240-566-4100 and press Option 1 to schedule your appointment.
