Can Complementary Therapies Support Cancer Treatment?

When you’re going through something as overwhelming as cancer or a long-term illness, it’s natural to look for ways to feel a bit more like yourself again. Beyond medical treatments and hospital visits, many people turn to complementary therapies. Not as cures, but as ways to bring comfort, ease side effects, and restore a sense of balance. These approaches bridge the gap between body and mind, offering moments of calm in what can be an incredibly stressful time. But with so many therapies out there (and plenty of mixed messages about what really works) it’s important to know what’s safe, what’s evidence-based, and what to approach with caution.

What Are Complementary Therapies?

Put simply, complementary therapies are a collection of holistic treatments aimed at promoting relaxation, soothing symptoms and improving general wellbeing. They’re not mainstream medical treatments. Instead, they’re often used alongside them to manage symptoms like pain, stress, anxiety, fatigue, nausea, sleep issues and more. Research on complementary therapies is mixed. While some have been tested and found to work, there’s often no clear evidence to show whether they work properly, or how they work.

There are a lot of complementary therapies out there, but the most common are:

• Acupuncture: A traditional Chinese treatment where a therapist puts small needles into specific points on your body to affect your nerve impulses. It’s mainly used for managing pain, with some evidence to back it up. It’s said to be particularly useful for chronic pain, migraines and chronic tension-type headaches.

• Aromatherapy: The use of essential oils from trees, flowers and herbs. The idea is that you breathe in the scent from the oils, which can be used as part of a massage, added to skin creams or put in a bath. You can buy these products to use at home, or you can work with an aromatherapist at an appointment. Aromatherapy can be good for relieving stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia.

• Homeopathy: A system based on ‘like cures like’. The basic idea is that a substance that causes symptoms similar to a medical condition can help treat that condition when it’s given in tiny amounts. The ingredients homeopaths use come from plants, minerals and animals, and can be taken as tablets, put under your tongue or given in creams or gels. There’s no evidence that homeopathy works for treating any condition or symptom, and it’s important that you speak to your doctor first.

  
  

• Massage therapy: Does what it says on the tin! Massage therapy can focus on one part of your body or your whole body, using their hands to manipulate your body’s soft tissues. It’s a fantastic way to relax, as well as managing aches and pains in your bones and muscles. There are a lot of different types of massage, so it’s worth speaking to the therapist and seeing what they recommend. This is a safe and beneficial way to improve your quality of life and mood.

  
  

• Osteopathy and chiropractors: Also known as manipulation therapies, these therapists use their hands to work on your joints, muscles and tissues, manipulating them. These techniques are often used to treat lower back, neck and shoulder pain, as well as managing injuries. It’s generally considered safe when done by a trained professional, but it’s worth speaking to your doctor first as certain manipulations can cause serious side-effects. If you choose to work with an osteopath or chiropractor, make sure they are registered with their relevant UK regulatory body.

  
  

• Reflexology: This is a type of massage that focuses on the palms of your hands and your feet. The idea is that there are zones running through your body that are linked to areas in your feet and hands. By pressing on the different areas, you can improve energy flow to those parts of your body. There’s not a whole lot of evidence to back it up, but the treatments can be very soothing.

  
  

• Herbal medicines: The idea of herbal medicines has been around for centuries, and use plant ingredients in their original form to treat and prevent health conditions. They might contain a complex mixture of chemicals from the plant, rather than just one active ingredient. There are a lot of risks involved in herbal medicines, so treat carefully.

How Can Complementary Therapies Help?

Depending on the type of therapy you choose, complementary therapies can have a huge range of benefits in general, as well as to people going through cancer treatments. This includes:

Manage symptoms and side effects: Many complementary therapies can offer temporary relief from the side effects of cancer and its treatments. Nausea, pain and fatigue can be hard to deal with as you go through the journey, so finding relief where you can make a huge difference.

Improve emotional and physical well-being: A lot of complementary therapies don’t just give the benefits they claim – they’re also relaxing! Treatments like massage, music therapy and aromatherapy can reduce stress, anxiety, improve your mood and even help you sleep better, all of which is important in your battle against cancer.

Empowerment: Having cancer can feel like someone has taken the wheel of your life and is steering for you. Even though you have choices during the process, the cancer is in the driver’s seat. But using complementary therapies can help you feel more in control of your care and your own wellbeing.

Before You Do Anything

I know it can seem tempting to rush in and book appointments – especially if you’re struggling with symptoms or side-effects from chemotherapy. But complementary therapies do come with their own risks. Some can interact with certain treatments or medications, others pose an infection risk to an already weakened immune system. For example, high-dose vitamin C might be advertised as a way to combat fatigue, but it can interfere with some chemotherapy drugs, potentially doing more harm than good. So, your first step should always be to talk to your doctor about what complementary therapies you want to try, and what they would recommend.

If you’re given the go ahead, make sure you check that any providers are qualified and fully trained. The complementary therapies industry isn’t really regulated, which means absolutely anyone can start offering them without really knowing what they’re doing or how to keep people safe. Having training and qualifications can give you a sense of how seriously they take their role, and that it will be safe for you. If you can find someone who has experience working with cancer patients, that’s a bonus.

And remember, complementary therapies are not a cure or a treatment for cancer. They should be used alongside conventional treatments like radiotherapy or chemotherapy. If someone claims their therapy can cure cancer, do not trust them. You need a healthy dose of scepticism before you go into anything like this.