Patients Are Powerful

Archive for November, 2009

Chiropractors, like me, often find that one of their patients is a caregiver to a family member who is suffering from a progressive disease. And, frequently, that disease is cancer. Family caregivers are truly the dearest of all patient advocates, and sometimes they feel helpless in easing the pain of their loved one. So I was very interested in a study, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute that found that family caregivers can significantly reduce the suffering of a family member who has cancer, through the use of simple touch and massage techniques.

Ninety-seven multi-ethnic cancer patients were chosen and they represented 21 types of cancer (nearly half with breast cancer) and all stages of disease. The caregivers included spouses, adult children, parents, siblings and friends. Researchers evaluated the outcomes of a 78 minute DVD instructional program and illustrated manual shown to the patients and their caregivers.

Caregivers in the experimental group were asked to apply the instruction for at least 20 minutes, three or more times per week for a month. Caregivers in the control group were assigned to read to the patient for the same amounts of time. Patients completed report cards before and after sessions rating their levels of pain, fatigue, stress/anxiety, nausea, depression, and other symptoms.

Companionship alone had a positive effect as the results showed significant reductions for all symptoms after both activities. But, even though symptoms were reduced from 12-28 percent after reading, massage from a caregiver led to reductions of 29-44 percent. The greatest impact was on stress/anxiety with a 44 reduction. This was followed by a 34% decrease in pain, a 32 percent decrease in fatigue, a 31 percent reduction in depression, and a 29 percent reduction in nausea. In addition, caregivers in the massage group showed gains in confidence and comfort with using touch and massage as forms of caregiving.

“Touch and massage are among the most effective forms of supportive care in cancer, but most patients cannot access professional practitioners of these methods on a regular basis,” said principal investigator, William Collinge, PhD, president of Collinge and Associates. “It appears that family members who receive simple instruction in safety and techniques can achieve some of the same results as professional practitioners. This has important implications not just for patient well-being, but for caregivers as well. Caregivers are at risk of distress themselves. They can feel helpless and frustrated when seeing a loved one suffer. This gives a way to make a difference for the patient, and at the same time increase their own satisfaction and effectiveness as a caregiver. It also appears to strengthen the relationship bond, which is important to both.”

The DVD program is now released to the public, titled “Touch, Caring and Cancer: Simple Instruction for Family and Friends,” in English, Spanish and Chinese. More information and video trailers are available at http://www.partnersinhealing.net.

Technorati Tags: cancer, family caregiver, research, touch and massage

As a chiropractor and a passionate healthy lifestyle advocate, high on the “health do to list” that I give to my chiropractic patients, young or old, is to stop smoking! And, though I know from experience that patients are powerful when supported and encouraged, I also know that different people respond to different stimulus, especially when they are trying to give up an insidious habit like smoking cigarettes. So, I was particularly happy to read on Discovery News (link below) about a virtual reality video “game” that, according to a new study published by the journal Cyberpsychology and Behavior will help people to stop smoking. I’d never really considered a video game to work so impressively as a patient advocate.

Researchers from Canada’s GRAP Occupational Psychology Clinic and the University of Quebec in Gatineau divided 91 smokers into two groups and enrolled them in a 12-week anti-smoking support program. In addition, each group played a specially designed video game four times a week. After entering a computer-generated virtual environment, one group of participants chased down floating cigarettes and crushed them while the other group crushed floating balls.

The study’s findings showed significant reduction in nicotine cravings among smokers in the cigarette-crushing group. At week 12, 15 percent of the cigarette crushers had abstained from smoking, compared to just 2 percent among the control group. During a six-month follow-up, while 20 percent of  ball crushers reported not smoking during the previous week, that rate reached 39 percent among the cigarette-crushing group.

The researchers were unsure as to why the cigarette crushers’ had a higher success rate, but they speculated that the virtual exercise may have further motivated their meeting attendance, as well as boosted motivation to quit smoking and increased confidence in the ability to kick the habit. The game also may have provided participants with positive associations to fight off urges, i.e., crushing cigarettes in the virtual reality environment may have conditioned smokers to resist their urge to light up.

For more on the study and a link to the GRAP’s study, visit Discovery News

Technorati Tags: GRAP, stop smoking, virtual reality video game

My chiropractic clinic is right next door to a veterinary clinic. The clinic, run by two veterinarians who are husband and wife, is very popular in town. I, personally, like the fact that the veterinarians take a holistic approach to treating their animal patients. But, what I like best is the big, furry Burmese cat that “owns” the clinic. She basks in the sunshine that streams into the two front offices and whenever I walk by, she gives me her full attention. If I put my hands on the outside of the window, she rubs her body against the glass as if she can actually feel me petting her. And, though I can’t actually hear her, I’ve always suspected that she’s purring peacefully on the other side. I have to say that I feel instantly happier after our little encounters. I had a cat companion for nineteen years, and since her passing last year, I have found that even though I do yoga and meditation, “Hazel” was the best stress reducer in my life.

As a chiropractor I am always looking for natural, drug-free approaches to health, and I can’t think of anything more naturally healthy than having a pet (as long as a person doesn’t suffer from allergies, of course!). You could say that pets are very similar to patient advocates. They are genuinely happy to see you, they offer unconditional attention and affection, and their goal is to help you to feel better, even if it is just to sit with you when you need companionship.

Many studies have shown that having a pet can actually help to control blood pressure. One such study compared a group of hypertensive patients that owned pets with another group that did not. While both groups remained on blood pressure medications, the  dog and cat owners were less likely to experience spikes in blood pressure and heart rate due to tension and stress.

Pets have also been shown to be helpful for people who tend to suffer from depression or anxiety. After all, it’s human nature to feel less sad or anxious, no matter whatever else may be going on, when a cat rubs up against you and purrs, or a dog looks adoringly in your eyes as if you are truly someone special. And, just as their human counterparts are able to help patients who are having a hard time dealing with an illness, pets have been shown to be helpful, too.  Researchers have found that people who have been diagnosed with difficult diseases are more able to cope with their situation when they are in constant contact with a pet.

So, if you’ve been feeling “down in the dumps,” a furry patient advocate may be able to help. In that case, an animal shelter may have just what you need!

Technorati Tags: anxiety, blood pressure control, depression, dogs and cats, pets, stress reduction