Overview
Learn how complementary therapies are used alongside conventional medicine. They can help manage the physical and emotional impacts of cancer or the side effects of treatments.
Complementary therapies include a range of options, like Chinese medicine, herbal medicine, traditional healing, yoga, massage and meditation.
Cancer Council supports the use of complementary therapies that have been proven to be safe and effective in clinical trials or other scientific studies to help with symptoms or general wellbeing.
Talk to your doctors about any therapies you are using or thinking about trying.
Find helpful information below, or call Cancer Connect on 13 11 20 to talk it through with our qualified professionals.
What's in this booklet
"Complementary" and "alternative" mean very different things. Complementary therapies can be used alongside conventional medical treatments - the type of care you get from qualified doctors or at hospitals. Alternative therapies are therapies used instead of conventional medical treatments. They are unlikely to be scientifically tested, may prevent successful treatment of the cancer and can be harmful. Cancer Council does not recommend the use of alternative therapies as a cancer treatment.
About complementary therapies
Learn about the different categories of complementary therapies and the difference between complementary and alternative therapies.
Key questions
Understand why people use complementary therapies, what therapies are available and what "integrative oncocolgy" means.
Safety concerns
Some complementary therapies can affect the way conventional treatments work. Learn about the common safety issues and the warning signs to look out for.
Making informed decisions
Learn how to find a complementary therapist, how to check they are qualified and what to consider when choosing a complementary therapy.
The role of exercise and nutrition
Find out who can help you with eating and nutrition or physical activity. Learn how to make sure you are following a balanced diet.
Individual therapies and emotional support
Find out about a wide range of therapies, including acupuncture, Chinese medicine, counselling and mindfulness.
Traditional healing practices
Discover ways to use traditional remedies from your culture alongside conventional treatment. Learn about how to access them and safety concerns.
Caring for someone with cancer
If you're caring for someone with cancer, you may find that complementary therapies can help you both.
Support and information
Find a list of complementary therapy associations to help you find a practitioner as well as useful online resources.
Questions for your doctor or complementary therapist
It can be a good idea to prepare a list of questions before your appointments. See our list of questions about complementary therapies.
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