Natural Remedies for Chemotherapy Side Effects

Chemotherapy can be one of the most difficult parts of cancer treatments for patients who don’t have help managing their symptoms. Here at Palo Verde Cancer Specialist, your local Scottsdale radiation oncology center, our mission is to help our patients through their cancer treatment while helping you feel as good as possible—which means soothing some of the side effects of chemotherapy. While there are some vitamins and supplements that may interfere with your cancer treatment, there are a number of natural solutions that can reduce headaches, nausea, and many of the other side effects of chemo. Find out from an oncology specialist which natural remedies are best paired with chemotherapy below!

Supplementing Your Treatment With Natural Supplements

The idea that vitamins and herbs should not be mixed with cancer treatment is a common misconception that is based in some truth: there are supplements that can interfere with your treatment, but there are also many which can benefit your overall health and mitigate the side effects of chemo. Here are just a few natural remedies which can help an array of chemotherapy symptoms:

• Ginger: Good for nausea and vomiting
• Zinc: Helps prevent changes in your sense of taste
• Astragalus: Can help nausea and vomiting specifically with colorectal cancer patients
• Ginseng: Reduces cancer related fatigue
• Glutamine: Could help reduce numbness and weakness in hands and possibly mouth sores

Make sure to talk to your oncology specialist at your Scottsdale radiation oncology center before you start supplementing, to ensure that your specific treatment does not interact with any of these herbal remedies.

Other Natural Solutions To Cancer Related Illness

It’s possible that your oncology specialist will rule out some of the above supplements if you are going to undergo surgery or if your cancer treatment is of a specific nature. If that is the case, you can ask your Scottsdale radiation oncology center about alternative remedies to reduce the side effects of chemo. Here are some of the options that have shown success:

• Acupuncture: Can reduce anxiety, dry mouth, vomiting, and hot flashes
• Massage: Patients often feel less fatigue, nausea, and anxiety after massage therapy
• Hypnosis: Trained hypnotherapists can relax your whole body to reduce chemo side effects
• Aromatherapy: Using essential oils and relaxing scents to ease your sense can help as well

Visit Your Scottsdale Oncology Specialist!

If you are wondering what the best treatments are for your specific cancer treatment or which are the most effective for certain side effects of chemo, the best thing you can do is talk to your oncology specialist. Here at Palo Verde Cancer Specialists, our team of highly skilled oncologists will walk you through your treatment and what supplements might be best for treating your specific symptoms. Contact us today to learn more about natural remedies to reduce the side effects of chemo or to schedule an appointment with us at one of our convenient locations!