Recently Diagnosed or Relapsed? Stop Looking For a Miracle Cure, and Use Evidence-Based Therapies To Enhance Your Treatment and Prolong Your Remission
Multiple Myeloma an incurable disease, but I have spent the last 25 years in remission using a blend of conventional oncology and evidence-based nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle therapies from peer-reviewed studies that your oncologist probably hasn't told you about.
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Myeloma Pain and Fatigue Therapy
According to the study below, resistance training improves myeloma pain and fatigue. For once, a study is addressing quality of life (QOL) challenges rather than length of life.
While we’re on the subject of quality of life for MM patients, what are some other non-conventional therapies for enhancing QOL in MM?
What are some non-conventional therapies to enhance quality of life for myeloma patients?
1. Integrative Therapies
- Acupuncture: May help with pain management, neuropathy, and nausea associated with myeloma treatments.
- Massage Therapy: Can reduce stress, relieve pain, and improve circulation, though care is needed for areas affected by bone lesions.
- Reiki and Energy Healing: May promote relaxation and reduce stress.
- Aromatherapy: The use of essential oils can help alleviate anxiety, depression, or nausea.
2. Mind-Body Practices
- Yoga: Gentle yoga improves flexibility, balance, and reduces stress. Tailored practices avoid strain on fragile bones.
- Meditation and Mindfulness: These can reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and enhance emotional resilience.
- Tai Chi and Qigong: Low-impact exercises that enhance balance, strength, and overall well-being.
3. Nutritional Support
- Dietary Counseling: A registered dietitian specializing in oncology can help develop a nutrition plan to manage treatment side effects and support overall health.
- Herbal Supplements: Certain supplements (e.g., turmeric or green tea) may have anti-inflammatory properties, but always consult with a doctor due to potential interactions with treatments.
4. Psychological Support
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Helps manage stress, depression, and anxiety.
- Support Groups: Connecting with other myeloma patients can provide emotional support and practical advice.
- Art and Music Therapy: These creative outlets can reduce stress and improve mood.
5. Physical Rehabilitation
- Physical Therapy: Tailored exercises can help maintain mobility, improve strength, and reduce fatigue.
- Hydrotherapy: Exercising in water can relieve pressure on bones and joints while promoting movement.
6. Lifestyle Changes
- Sleep Hygiene Practices: Creating a restful sleep environment can combat fatigue.
- Stress Reduction Techniques: Practices like journaling or spending time in nature may improve mental clarity and relaxation.
7. Complementary Approaches
- Probiotics and Gut Health Support: Maintaining a healthy microbiome can improve digestion and potentially reduce inflammation.
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Though less common, some studies suggest benefits for wound healing and tissue repair.
8. Spiritual and Holistic Approaches
- Pastoral Counseling or Spiritual Guidance: For those who find comfort in spirituality, this can offer emotional and existential support.
- Life Coaching: Helps patients set personal goals and focus on meaningful activities.
Resistance training for MM patients with bone involvement?
None of the therapies listed above, even the video of the oncologist touting the benefits of resistance training for MM patients, will be prescribed by your oncologist. None of my conventional medical doctors have ever mentioned any therapies to enhance my quality of life.
I am both a long-term MM survivor as well as a MM cancer coach. Conventional oncology is central to our struggle but they are only a piece of the MM puzzle.
Email me at David.PeopleBeatingCancer@gmail.com with questions about non-conventional myeloma therapies.
Thank you,
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Six-Month Resistance Training Interventions Are Associated with Improvements in Fatigue and Pain in Multiple Myeloma Patients
Background-Improvements in multiple myeloma (MM) treatments have led patients and doctors to pursue strategies to promote long-term quality of life (QOL). Often, physicians do not recommend physical exercise (PE) because of MM-related bone disease.
Nonetheless, our group and others have shown that patients with MM can safely perform PE, including resistance training (RT) and walking (W).
The goal of this study was to examine the impact on QOL, including fatigue, pain, depression and anxiety, of 3 PE interventions in patients with MM…
Results-The combined sample (n=76) was 54.0% female, 93.4% White, and 94.7% non-Hispanic, with a mean age of 63.4 years, and no differences by study or arm.
Fatigue improved from baseline to the end of the intervention in the combined sample and in both the RT groups, with 10 of 14 elements improving and significantly fewer people reporting any
- exhaustion (22.4%),
- discouragement (26.3%),
- and problems with sleep (12.7%).
However, improvements in fatigue were lost after the intervention, with 12 of 14 elements getting worse and significant increases in people reporting lacking energy (15.9%), feeling slowed down (18.2%), and problems with sleep (18.6%).
During the intervention, pain improved in the supervised, in-person RT group, with both elements improving and the reduction in the VAS score being significant (12 points); these improvements were not lost in follow-up. Depression did not change during or after the intervention in any of the groups. However, anxiety got worse during the intervention in the combined sample, with 7 of 11 elements getting worse and significantly more people reporting any dread (8.6%).
Although not significant in any of the groups, the change in anxiety was apparent only in the W group, with 8 of 11 measures getting worse in that group, and no consistent trend in either RT group. It is unknown if the change in anxiety in the W group can be tied to the intervention or disease-related or other factors.
Conclusions-In the current analysis, 6-month supervised RT interventions are associated with improvements in fatigue and pain, but improvements in fatigue are lost after the intervention. These findings provide support for RT interventions in MM patients to promote physical QOL, as well as further research into how to help patients achieve sustained improvements.
myeloma pain and fatigue