About Dr. DeMarco
Dr. Anthony DeMarco is a board certified member of the American Board of Anesthesiology. He is a graduate of Kansas City University with a Doctor of Osteopathy degree, a holistic approach to patient care.
Dr. DeMarco completed his residency in 1993 at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia.
Alternative Therapies in Treating Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is a definite reason for concern in men who are 45 years old and above. At this age, every male has a 17% chance of developing this particular type of cancer. The good news is that there has been an observable reduction in the incidence of prostate cancer since 2003. However, it is still the fifth common cause of cancer in America.
The conventional treatment for prostate cancer is popularly known as ‘slash burn poison therapy.’ Cancer of the prostate or any kind of cancer, for that matter, is normally dealt with surgical incision, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy, or a combination of one or all these approaches.
All these methodologies are highly painful and uncomfortable for the patient, and lead to a variety of side effects, so that a patient who is already suffering from the pain and agony associated with malignant cancer may even consider just dying of cancer rather than opting for such treatments.
What Alternative Therapies Are Out There For Prostatic Cancer?
There are a myriad of alternative treatments available. Each of them offers a unique personalized method of treating various diseases, not just prostate cancer. The following is a listing of some of these alternative approaches:
Acupuncture. Acupuncture proponents claim that the procedure is capable of relieving pain, treating infertility, and promoting general health. It can also be used for therapeutic purposes. The treatment typically incorporates traditional Chinese medicine. According to acupuncture practitioners, disease is the product of an imbalance of the yin and yang caused by a “blockage” or the “stagnation” of a metaphysical energy known as the qi, or chi. Qi is believed to flow in and around the body in channels called meridians. Aside from 361 meridians, there are 28 other extraordinary points in the human body, which makes a total of 387 meridians. In practice, the pricking of fine needles on the specific meridians, which are related to the afflicted part of the body, will remove the blockage and allow the Qi to circulate normally and without any hindrance, thus restoring the patient back to health.
Reiki. Reiki is a totally one-to-one process, and involves the passing of the Qi energy from the Reiki Master to the patient. There are no instruments or tools involved in the treatment. The only tools used are the hands of the Reiki practitioner, which are placed either on the body or at a distance from the body of the patient. The hands are usually held in certain specific positions, and are commonly kept in the same position for a few minutes before assuming the next position.
Reflexology. This particular integrative healthcare system is based on the belief that the foot, palms, and ears are extremely sensitive points of the body and that these areas carry a reflex of almost all of the internal organs inside the human body. The aim of reflexology is to provide a pressure or massage over the reflex points present in the feet, palms and, ears, in order to relieve the internal energy imbalance. The reflex points corresponding with each internal organ is charted out on the palms, feet, and the ears. In practice, the corresponding reflex points are stimulated and massaged based on the medical complaint.
Homeopathy. Homeopathy uses potentized medications that contain the minimum possible dose of medicine that is necessary to bring about the cure. Homeopathy uses liquid medications that are absorbed by sweet pills and is prescribed to the patient depending upon his individual case history. No two patients of prostatic cancer will receive the same homeopathic remedy.
Herbal Medicine. This therapy uses specific herbs and medicinal plants to treat disease. Every disease has a corresponding specific herb or a group of herbs. These herbs may be used as liquid extracts, in powder form, as tablets, or as supplements.
Ayurveda. This is the traditional Indian system of medicine which uses a perfect combination of herbs, mantras or sacred incantations, breathing exercises, also termed as pranayama, detox or panchkarma, yoga, and massage with oils in order to treat diseases.
Biofeedback. This particular method of therapy utilizes the physiologic feedback received from the patient’s body to suggest measures that can be undertaken to relieve certain symptoms like pain or bring about a state of relaxation.
The next post will deal with specific treatment modalities for prostate cancer.
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