Thursday, October 31, 2013

Neck Throat Tonsils Tongue Cancer Alternative Treatments

Cancers of the throat, tonsils, and tongue are called neck cancer.  Symptoms of this type of cancer include:
  • Voice changes
  • Sore throat
  • Cough
  • Earache
  • Sores and lumps that do not heal
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Red or white patches
  • Loose teeth
  • Difficulty breathing
Neck cancer is caused by lifestyle factors including:
  • Excessive alcohol use
  • Tobacco use
  • Oral HPV infection 



Conventional treatment options are often used in combination, and include:
  • Surgery
  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiation therapy
Side effects of these conventional treatment options are often serious.  Surgery for neck cancer is an invasive procedure and causes changes to how you speak, eat, and swallow.  Chemotherapy causes hair loss, fatigue, and digestive system problems.  Radiation therapy causes thyroid problems, difficulties with eating, and voice changes.  Any of these side effects require recovery time.

Neck cancer alternative treatments provide treatment options with little to no side effects.  Hyperthermia is one such treatment.  This involves applying high temperatures to tissue.  The effect is that cancer cells are killed and also become more sensitive to radiation, which is why it is commonly used in combination with low dose radiation therapy.




Hyperthermia success stories exist, such as Steve - a musician and singer.  When Steve was diagnosed with tongue and throat cancer, he was told that he would have to undergo a combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery that would likely leave him unable to sing again.  Instead, he opted for hypertheramia.  A few months of this treatment resulted in Steve having a scan clear of cancer.  In addition, he was able to sing both during and after the treatment!

Effective neck cancer alternative treatments do exist and can be used to complement conventional treatment options.  Patients with cancer of the throat, tonsils, or tongue should consider these alternative treatments to help the healing process.