How does AyurVAID’s ICRP help the patient?
Minimises Adverse Effects:
AyurVAID’s Integrated Cancer Rehabilitation Program (ICRP), available at AyurVAID Kalmatia, minimizes acute adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea, mucositis, hair-fall, skin rashes, ulcers, burns, myelosuppression, peripheral neuropathies.
Systemic Improvement of Body & Mind Function:
At the whole body and mind level, the patient shall experience improvement in quality of sleep, appetite, digestion, excretion (motion & urine), in addition to experiencing enhanced vitality and energy levels and lower stress levels for both patient and his/her family.
Pain Management:
All dimensions of pain- physical, mental, emotional- are covered by drug and non-drug measures. In particular, to use herbal medicines with anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties to reduce pain associated with muscle, bone, joints, stomach, head, etc.
The herbal medicines are administered along with conventional pain management taking into account drug-drug interaction. There are no side/adverse effects of these herbal medicines as may occur in the case of opioids or NSAIDs that are used in conventional therapies. Where appropriate, local and whole body treatments are done to supplement the internal medication. As such, disease aggravation arising from uncontrolled or unrelieved pain is compensated by the broad spectrum activity of classical Ayurveda medicines and therapies, including Panchakarma.
Other Benefits:
AyurVAID’s ICRP – available at AyurVAID Kalmatia, nestled in the valleys of Almora, Uttarakhand, in Kumaon Himalayas – complements and enhances the effectiveness of the primary cancer treatment. It also enhances immunity and compensates for cachexia, through various Ayurveda procedures and therapies, including Panchakarma.
What is the right time for a cancer patient to enter the AyurVAID ICRP?
Before, during, or after conventional medical management. Increasingly, the recommendation is to start palliative care as early as possible and even preceding the primary cancer treatment. This helps enhance immunity, outcomes, and patient morale, as also reduces side effects and patient dropouts.
What are the steps in AyurVAID ICRP?
- Firstly, comprehensive medical assessment shall be carried out based on the standard AyurVAID protocol, supplemented by an oncology specific assessment protocol
- All current medical reports of the patient shall be taken into account
- Primary and secondary medical management objectives specific to the patient shall be determined
- A customized medical management plan covering diet-lifestyle-medicine-treatment as appropriate for the patient and disease shall be developed
- A consensus on next steps shall be arrived at with the patient, with the primary physician, and patient’s family members
- Track patient’s response to the ICRP from start through the entire treatment cycle by using standard medical outcome scales such as Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC), Karnofsky Performance Status Scale, and Quality of Life (QoL) scale
How does AyurVAID’s ICRP integrate with your primary cancer treatment?
AyurVAID does not administer any aggressive treatments that is intended to replace the conventional cancer treatment that the patient is undergoing. AyurVAID’s ICRP is positioned as a supportive therapy that seamlessly integrates with concurrent modern medical management, if any, that the patient is undergoing. AyurVAID shall not act contrary to what has been advised by the patient’s primary treating physician.
What does AyurVAID’s ICRP not cover?
Cancer patients who are younger than 12 years or older than 80 years, pregnant women, patients with serious comorbidities (cardiac, renal, for e.g.) and patients in or near oncologic emergencies, are excluded from AyurVAID’s ICRP.
Case Studies
Cancer patients who are younger than 12 years or older than 80 years, pregnant women, patients with serious comorbidities (cardiac, renal, for e.g.) and patients in or near oncologic emergencies, are excluded from AyurVAID’s ICRP.
Overall Improvement Of Health Status Post Radiotherapy And Chemotherapy
A male 64 years diagnosed as Non-Small Cell Carcinoma with brain metastasis visited AyurVaid Hospitals for ICRP (INTENGRATED CANCER REHABILITATION PROGRAM).He underwent radiotherapy for the resolution of brain metastasis and responded well to the treatment .Post Radiotherapy he underwent chemotherapy at Cancer Hospital for the primary lung tumor and mediastinal lymph nodes. He visited AyurVaid Hospital during his chemotherapy sessions and classical Ayurveda medicines were selected based on his constitution to improve his overall health status, to reduce the side effects and to target the tumor as well.
He could complete his chemotherapy without serious side effects, although he had some minor complaints like mouth coating, skin discoloration, frequency of stools, and abdominal pain after he completed chemotherapy, for which he underwent IP treatments at AyurVaid and had significant improvement in above complaints along with marked improvement in his performance status scale.Also his natural killer cell and Immunoglobulin evaluation was done post Ayurveda treatments and was found to be absolutely normal, which in such cases is usually very low.
Though conventional therapies are the main line therapies in Cancer management, his tumor did not respond to the chemotherapy and now has been advised for oral chemotherapy and radiotherapy. He has been now advised to continue oral Ayurveda medicines for overall health improvement and for a follow up scan to review the response of Ayurveda drugs on the tumour activity
Endometrial Hyperplasia
Endometrial Hyperplasia- Eliminating a significant risk factor for Endometrial Carcinoma through Ayurveda
A female 43 years, of Vata Pitta constitution and Madhyama koshtha, known case of Hypothyroidism, visited AyurVAID Hospitals for the following complaints:
- Irregular periods since 1 month
- Mood changes since 1 year
- Anxiety
- Disturbed sleep since 1year
- Occasional Constipation
She was on allopathy drugs for the above complaints. Her gynaecologist suggested in the month of April 2012, an ultrasound, which suggested Endometrial Hyperplasia, with a thickening of 17.6mm.
With this finding, she was advised by her gynaecologist to undergo a biopsy for the endometrium to rule out endometrial malignancy. The patient was not willing for an intervention, So she turned towards Ayurveda and visited AyurVAID in the same month.
She was prescribed internal medicines and kriya (Shirodhara) for 7 days to correct Apana Vayu and stimulate Reproductive system, and ease her from the anxiety.
She got her period immediately on the 3rd day of the treatment, and was asked to continue treatment for 1 month with regular reviews and a repeat ultrasound after 1 month.
She could also discontinue her psychiatric drugs, as she could now sleep better after the 7 counts of Shirodhara treatment, and has been able to sustain good sleep without the help of sleeping pills.
Her Ultrasound as on 12/6/12 shows normal endometrial thickening with 7.5 mm (5-10 mm is the normal range in menopausal age group) .Though her periods are yet to start in the following cycle, she is advised to continue the medicines for 3 months. Also, she has been advised for yearly screening initially for status of her endometrial hyperplasia. Her overall health has also improved with better sleep and better mental tolerance
It is really satisfying to know that classical Ayurveda worked well in eliminating this emerging risk factor for endometrial carcinoma.
Non Healing Ulcer- Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Brief Medical History
Patient aged 63 years, normal-built adult female came to AyurVAID hospital with following complaints:
1. Non healing mouth painful mouth ulcer since 2 months
2. Radiating pain b/h the ears to neck region since 2 months
3. Inability to open the mouth completely since 10 years
4. Inability to chew solid foods since 10 years
5. Low appetite
6. Low energy levels
Brief Medical History:
An adult female patient moderately built & nourished to her age & sex with good orientation to time & place came to AyurVAID hospitals for the above complaints. She was diagnosed as invasive squamous cell carcinoma palate in 2003 and had undergone a surgery for that. Her palate was excised and due to the change in anatomy of mouth she was unable to speak and hear properly. She is unable to open her mouth completely and chew solid foods. She uses a hearing aid. Also has the h/o myringotomy. Since 2 months she had developed an ulcer on the roof of the palate. The mouth ulcer was whitish yellow in colour and painful. She had visited ENT for the same. He had suggested a biopsy to rule out the recurrence. Patient was not willing to undergo the biopsy intervention and wanted something which was gentle and less painful. Hence she decided for Ayurveda management.
Conclusion
Cancer is a dreaded disease and the patient loses hope. Ayurveda offers very good support to cancer patients with its gentle yet powerful approach.
Cancer Directed Therapies (CDT) and Cancer Risk Prevention Program
Cancer Directed Therapies (CDT) is offered for cancers that cannot be treated and are beyond treatment by modern medicine, or, where the patient specifically wishes to avail of Ayurveda medical management of his/her cancer.
Most importantly, in case you have a history of cancer in your family, you can assess your current risk level and proactively practice the diet-lifestyle, with support of classical Ayurveda herbal medicines, to reduce your risk of developing cancer through AyurVAID’s Cancer Risk Prevention Program.
For Customized Packages, email us at: kalmatia@ayurvaid.com
