Integrative treatment models in health care offer a great deal of synergy by treating the whole person, both in the immediate and long term. Regarding cancer treatment, there are many tools that can come together in countless ways to help the journey to healing.
Modern cancer treatment includes a wide array of drug therapies that work toward destruction of the cancer cells. Despite relative success, this treatment strategy offers nothing in support of the patients organ systems that allowed for a cancer to grow in the first place. Incorporating hydrotherapy into cancer treatment may well provide the much needed support for a multitude of reasons.
Hydrotherapy is a treatment modality used around the world to varying degrees. From the morning shower, to a steam room followed by a roll in the snow, it is something we are all familiar with. The therapeutic application is something far greater than most consider. Using water with varying temperatures causes effects throughout the body. Targeting specific organs of the body and shifting the temperature creates a cascade of effects that can improve health overall by supporting circulation and detoxification.
Hyperthermia is a modality that is gaining popularity in the treatment of cancer patients for its ability to aid in tumor reduction and increase patient tolerance to chemotherapy and radiation. Some physicians are finding that they are able to use much lower doses of drug therapies when used in combination with hyperthermia. Hyperthermia works through heating the body in a variety of ways for a set period of time, stimulating a fever response. The understanding for its effectiveness is through the simple physiology of increasing circulation and oxygenation of the tissues. As with any fever the immune system is activated, particularly the heat shock proteins, which help facilitate cellular function and destruction. The effect on cancer cells is the stimulation of their elimination.
Research in immunology has identified multiple triggers for increasing heat shock protein transcription and activation. These compounds are found throughout the plant and animal kingdoms and have been studied extensively in agriculture. In addition to heat; cold, light and other stressors also activate HSPs. It has been suggested that the traditional hydrotherapy technique of alternating hot and cold applications to the body may activate HSPs better than heat alone.
The initial theory behind hydrotherapy relates to the traditional understanding that stagnation encourages disease processes. A stagnant pond will support vastly different life than a flowing stream. Stasis in the body changes the overall mileu as well. Cellular activities all require adequate oxygenation to maintain their healthy balance. Areas of poor circulation are more likely to store metabolic wastes and environmental toxins that the body encounters constantly in the modern world.
Hydrotherapy treatments have known effects in increasing circulation to stagnant tissues. This in itself may be curative to many disease processes. Laboratory analysis has shown increased production of white blood cells’s and reduced cortisol after a treatment. Suspected benefits include activation of heat shock proteins. Together, the effects have great potential in supporting health.
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