Symptom management and palliative care
Palliative care recognizes that life doesn't stop or slow down when you are diagnosed with a serious illness. Many serious illnesses cause side effects. Here’s a look at how palliative care can help with cancer.
Cancer, cancer treatment and/or diagnostic tests may cause pain and other symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea, hot flashes and confusion, among others. Each type of cancer and every patient is unique and requires a personal plan to control pain and discomfort. Palliative care provides much more than traditional symptom and pain relief by way of medications.
Examples of palliative care symptom support during cancer treatment:
- Support of gastrointestinal symptoms such as loss of appetite, swallowing problems, weight changes, dehydration, mouth sores and nausea/vomiting
- Pain management including day-to-day management and pain control before, during and after tests and procedures
- Management of spasms, stinging and itching caused by intravenous chemotherapy
- Treatment of mucositis and peripheral neuropathy caused by chemotherapy or targeted therapy
- Treatment for joint and muscle pain
- Treatment of symptoms caused by radiation therapy, such as pain from lying in the same position during treatment or dermatitis
- Referrals for integrative therapies such as acupuncture, aromatherapy, yoga, etc.
- Support for the emotional, mental health and mood changes
- Understanding and guidance for dealing with how cancer and cancer treatments may impact the physical and emotional sexual health of the patient and their partner
In addition to better and earlier symptom management, palliative care can assist caregivers through a better understanding of how to help. Caregivers are looking for answers but may not know who to ask. They may feel tired, scared, frustrated. Palliative care also takes care of the caregiver, who may also struggle with physical and emotional symptoms associated with stress.