Information about Colon Cancer

This article will tackle the cause of two pandemic forms of cancer, cancer of the prostate and colon cancer. Scientists have determined that prostate cancer is an epidemic so vast that nearly one autopsy in two of older men reveals the presence of this cancer. Fortunately, this cancer is usually so slow growing that most men die of other causes, even as the cancer grows slowly within the prostate gland. Yet deaths by prostate cancer and the debilitating effects of prostate surgery still affect thousands of families today. In addition, nonmalignant enlargement of the prostate afflicts millions of American men with such symptoms as painful and frequent urination. As a therapist who specializes in discovering the underlying causes of disease, I have discovered, once again, the reasons for this pandemic can be found in the cultural habits of our society.

First, let’s ask the obvious question: what is the prostate’s job in a healthy individual? Although prostate conditions including cancer usually show up as problems with urination, the prostate gland is mainly about sex. The prostate’s job is to mix sperm with its own liquid secretions to produce semen, then through contractions associated with male orgasm, it propels this semen into the penis. When I have worked with men who have any prostrate condition I nearly always find that these men feel subconsciously frustrated and often guilty about their sexual behavior. Each case has unique elements. Therefore I will not claim that it is always one particular feeling or trauma. But my experience is that it always is about sex.

One client feels guilty about years of being unfaithful to his wives. Another feels remorse over years of visiting prostitutes, and having meaningless sex. Still another feels badly that he had sex with a wife he didn’t really love. So far I have not met any man whose prostate is complaining because it didn’t get enough sex. While I can’t rule out this possibility, it seems that wasting of one’s procreative life force is the issue which is locked into the prostates of most of my clients. (Incidentally, I always use open ended questions, and never use direct suggestion or leading questions in my work with cancer patients in order to minimize the influence of my own beliefs on the subconscious minds of my clients. In addition, when I began this research, I had no clue as to what might be found in the prostates of my clients)

This discovery of loose sexual behavior among the vast majority of my prostate clients is consistent with the “sexual revolution” of the 1970s, in which sex went from being a form of recreation reserved exclusively for married couples, at least theoretically, to becoming a free for all. The Playboy philosophy, birth control, and the hippie and women’s lib movements combined to create unprecedented opportunities for men and women alike to spread their seeds to the four winds. While I too had the chance to celebrate and enjoy this new freedom, it is our prostate glands, concerned with such “obsolete” concepts as romantic love, families, and children that I have discovered are in rebellion among so many men today.

As a hypnotherapist it is my job to listen to this prostate gland in a way that the client has never done. Indeed most clients are shocked to discover this throwback to conservative values living inside their bodies. Sometimes tears of remorse, dedication to a new lifestyle, even acts of atonement performed for women can help heal this condition. At other times, committing oneself to seeking a loving partner, even to reaching out to ones lost or grown children has proved valuable. I really don’t know what my client’s prostate needs to heal itself … but fortunately that prostate always does.

Another kind of cancer epidemic is colon cancer. Well, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the why of this epidemic either. We know that the colon is the place where waste is produced, and the water we need is pulled out. I have occasionally found unprocessed waste emotions in the colon, including anger, of which the client is often in denial. One client of mine who suffered severe ulcerative colitis screamed at me in a purple faced rage “Damn it! I am NOT angry!!” when I attempted to point out, very politely, what I was feeling from him. Even residual traumas from toilet training can be found in there sometimes.

But the culturally common causes of colon cancer I have found is connected to the diet and lifestyle choices pursued by most Americans. All of these eating habits have been scientifically proven to have debilitating effects on the colon: large amounts of animal fat in the diet, too much melted cheese and white flour products, all of which stick like glue to the colon walls, where they rot and produce inflammation, too little vegetable fiber, including the raw roughage like lettuce and carrots that clean the colon like a bottle brush, and too little water. (okay, how many of you really drink the 8 glasses a day minimum recommended by doctors?) Also critically dangerous to the colon is our lifestyle choice of sitting for most of every day on our sedentary butts. Remember that as a species homo sapiens evolved to spend many hours every day in physical movement.

So any proposed solution to this epidemic requires a radical revision of our diet and lifestyle. Fortunately the services of a clinical nutritionist and hypnotherapist can be combined to make the transition to a healthy diet and lifestyle much easier. Hypnosis can help build motivation for exercise and can help strengthen our new dietary choices. It can also help uncover and heal the emotions that are stored in the colon. Combined with the latest in medical treatments, such methods offer far more promise for recovery than we could have hoped for 20 years ago.

Colorectal cancer is a life-threatening disease which requires immediate medical intervention. Statistics indicate that colorectal cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer diagnosed in the United States each year. Although colorectal cancer predominantly affects the elderly, the disease can also affect young adults and even children. Oncologists sustain that early diagnosis of colorectal cancer plays a major role in overcoming the disease, as prompt medical intervention considerably increases patients’ life expectancy. Thanks to medical advance, doctors can nowadays rely on various modern techniques for diagnosing colorectal cancer. Common methods used for revealing early signs of colorectal cancer are barium enemas, colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy.

Sigmoidoscopy is one of the most reliable medical procedures used in diagnosing colorectal cancer in present. Through the means of sigmoidoscopy, oncologists are able to timely detect signs of physiological abnormalities at the level of the colon. Sigmoidoscopy can be either performed with an immobile or a flexible scope, depending on the segments of the colon that require screening. However, due to the fact that rigid sigmoidoscopy provides limited visibility, doctors usually prefer using a flexible scope instead. In addition, flexible sigmoidoscopy is less likely to cause discomfort to patients. Flexible sigmoidoscopy involves using a 60-cm scope that can easily detect cancerous colonic polyps, tumors or adenomas situated in various regions of the large bowel.

Sigmoidoscopy is primarily recommended for patients that present no clear symptoms of colorectal cancer. The procedure involves very few risks and it is well tolerated by most patients. Post-sigmoidoscopy symptoms are usually mild and disappear completely within a few hours or days. Such symptoms may include abdominal pain and bloating, internal discomfort and rarely, minor rectal injuries.

Although sigmoidoscopy is a simple procedure, it is important to note that it may not be appropriate for some patients. Sigmoidoscopy is not recommended to people who have suffered bowel surgery, people with acute peritonitis or people with acute diverticulitis. In some cases, the procedure may also be contraindicated for people who have recently suffered abdominal surgery.

Before receiving an examination with the sigmoidoscope, patients are administered bisacodyl and magnesium citrate. Combined with enemas, these medications are used for preparing the large bowel for sigmoidoscopy. The preparation treatment for sigmoidoscopy is very important for increasing the visibility inside the bowel. The actual procedure is very quick and it generally causes minimal discomfort to patients. Post-sigmoidoscopy complications are also very rare.

Corroborated with colonoscopy screening and barium enemas, sigmoidoscopy is very effective in timely spotting traces of malignant activity at the level of the large bowel. Since it has been introduced in the process of diagnosing colorectal cancers, sigmoidoscopy has considerably decreased patients’ mortality rate.

You have just left your doctor’s office, where you got the news that you have colon cancer. The doctor is recommending that you have colon cancer surgery to remove it. Though he went over the surgery in his office, if you are like most of us, your mind started to wander to other concerns that you have. It may be possible that the jargon the doctor used just wasn’t making sense at the time. Now you are ready to understand what you are going to go through.

We can start with the basics. I like to know what to expect through the whole process, so that is the information that I am going to give you. You will stay in the hospital over night. After surgery you need to know that it takes time to heal and completely recover from the colon cancer surgery. Much like it does after any major surgery. You can expect to be uncomfortable during your first few days; this is normal and a typical complaint by most.

The most common “side effect” after colon cancer surgery is fatigue. You are going to be tired and weak. This is normal, and you need to give yourself time to heal and recover. The surgery has also been known to cause constipation or diarrhea. Your health care team at the hospital will be watching you for signs of bleeding, infection or other problems that may require immediate treatment.

Colon cancer surgery is the most common treatment for colon cancer. During the surgery the tumor that you have is going to be removed. Along with that the surgeon will take a small piece of the healthy tissue around the tumor and the adjacent lymph nodes. In most cases, then the surgeon will reconnect the healthy parts of the bowel.

The exception to this is if your cancer includes the rectum. If it does, then the surgeon will remove the rectum and create an opening in the abdomen wall. This opening is called a colostomy. It is through this created hole that solid waste in the colon will then leave the body. There are specialty nurses that will help you adjust to having a colostomy, so you will not be on your own. More often then not, a colostomy is not permanent. It is only needed until healing takes place. Also realize that most patients with colostomies do return to a normal lifestyle.

Depending on when your cancer was detected will determine if you will need radiation or chemotherapy. I am sure that what you really want to know is what the prognosis is. If I go through all this will I survive. Without a crystal ball it is impossible for anyone to give you a definite answer. You need to understand that from the outset. What I can tell you is that the long term prognosis after you have colon cancer surgery will depend on if the cancer spread to any other organs in your body. Usually, the best prognosis comes when the cancer is detected early. Surgery is often the only reasonable treatment and those patients tend to have a long term survival. More then 80% exceed the five year survival rate. Unfortunately the farther advanced the cancer the lower the percentage rate is. Medicine is not an exact science in the fact that we can not predict with precision a prognosis on an individual basis. You survival rate is significantly greater with the surgery then without it.

Talk to your doctor and your family. Make a plan and make sure that you have all the information that you need to be comfortable. Healing takes time, let yourself rest and heal properly.