Extrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer Treatments – Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic Medicine for Extrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer

As part of our whole-person approach to treating cancer, the physicians at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) facilities consult with naturopathic clinicians to incorporate natural, non-toxic therapies into your traditional extrahepatic bile duct cancer care. These therapies are designed to help lessen the side effects of extrahepatic bile duct cancer treatments, such as nausea and fatigue.

What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine, also called “naturopathy,” is a distinct system of primary health care. Naturopathic medicine focuses on using the least invasive, most physiologically supportive methods possible to treat illness and diseases, such as extrahepatic bile duct cancer.

The practice of naturopathic medicine is based on the following principles:

• The Healing Power of Nature:  Your body is designed to inherently establish, maintain and restore health. The healing process is ordered and intelligent. The role of the naturopathic clinician is to facilitate and augment this process, to identify and remove obstacles to your health and recovery, and to support the creation of a healthy internal and external environment for you.

• First Do No Harm:  Naturopathic clinicians use methods and medicinal substances that minimize the risk of harmful effects on you, and apply the least possible force or intervention necessary to diagnose illness and restore your health. Naturopathic clinicians respect and work with the healing power of nature in extrahepatic bile duct cancer diagnosis, treatment and counseling.

• Clinician as Teacher:  A cooperative clinician-patient relationship has inherent therapeutic value. The naturopathic clinician must work to create a healthy, sensitive interpersonal relationship with you. The clinician’s major role is to educate and empower you to take responsibility for your own health. The clinician must strive to inspire hope as well as understanding. 

• Treat the Whole Person:  Naturopathic medicine recognizes the harmonious functioning of all aspects of you as being essential to health. By recognizing the multifactorial nature of health and disease, naturopathic clinicians treat the whole person, not just the cancer. Naturopathic clinicians use a comprehensive, personalized approach to extrahepatic bile duct cancer treatment.

• Prevention:  Prevention is the ultimate goal of naturopathic medicine. Prevention is achieved through education and promotion of healthy lifestyle habits. The emphasis is on building health. Naturopathic clinicians assess risk factors and genetic predisposition to disease and make appropriate interventions to avoid further harm and risk to you.

Naturopathic Medicine at CTCA

At CTCA, as you undergo extrahepatic bile duct cancer treatment, naturopathic therapies seek to support normal metabolism, decrease side effects, boost the body’s immune system, increase energy, and improve overall well being. Naturopathic clinicians consult with the other members of your CTCA care team to provide diverse techniques based on an individualized analysis of your needs. 

Even though it has its own therapeutic specialties, naturopathic medicine incorporates the natural therapies of many different healing traditions. What makes a therapy part of the naturopathic scope of practice is the way it is applied.

Naturopathic medicine at CTCA includes the following therapeutic modalities:

Clinical Nutrition

The concept "food is the best medicine" is essential to naturopathic practice. Naturopathic medicine believes proper use of foods and nutritional supplements can treat many medical conditions better than by other means, with fewer complications and side effects.  At CTCA, your naturopathic clinician will consult with your dietitian to develop a customized nutrition plan to support you throughout your extrahepatic bile duct cancer treatment and beyond.

Botanical Medicine

A number of plants contain powerful medicines. Whereas single chemically-based drugs may address only a single problem, botanical medicines can potentially address a variety of problems simultaneously. The organic nature of botanical medicine makes most botanicals compatible with the body's own chemistry; hence, they can be gently effective with few toxic side effects.

Chinese Medicine

The healing philosophy used by Chinese medicine is complementary to naturopathic medicine. Meridian theory provides an important understanding of the unity of the body and mind, supplementing the Western understanding of physiology. Acupuncture is one form of Chinese medicine that CTCA offers during your extrahepatic bile duct cancer treatment. By unifying and harmonizing the imbalances present in disease conditions, acupuncture may in turn stimulate the immune system and the healing response.

Homeopathic Medicine

Based on the principle of "like cures like," homeopathy works on a subtle, yet powerful energetic level, gently acting to strengthen the body's immune response and helping to trigger a healing process. Our naturopathic clinicians use homeopathic remedies (i.e., plant extracts and minerals) to stimulate healing and complement your traditional extrahepatic bile duct cancer treatments.

Physical Medicine

Naturopathic medicine has developed many of its own methods of therapeutic manipulation of the muscles, bones and spine. Physical medicine can include ultrasound, diathermy (controlled production of "deep heating" in the subcutaneous tissues, deep muscles, and joints for therapeutic purposes), exercise, massage, water, heat and cold, and gentle electrical therapies. At CTCA, your naturopathic clinician will consult with your rehabilitation therapist to support you during extrahepatic bile duct cancer treatment.

Psychological Medicine

Attitudes and emotional states may have the ability to influence, or even cause, physical illness. Counseling, stress management, hypnotherapy, biofeedback and other therapies are used to help extrahepatic bile duct cancer patients heal psychologically during treatment. At CTCA, our mind-body therapists help care for your psychological needs.

Next Topic: Mind-Body Medicine for Extrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer