Know Your Cancer
Everyone responds to Cancer Treatment in his or her unique way. Some do not suffer from side effects or they can tolerate side effects to a large extent. Others can face an even harder road.
Some of the most common side effects of Cancer Treatment are listed below:
- Anxiety
- Changes in appetite
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Grief
- Hot flashes
- Nausea and vomiting
- Pain
- Sexual difficulties
- Sleep disruption
- Stress
- Bleeding and Bruising
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
Many medications are available for treating the side effects of Cancer Treatment. Everyone responds to treatment differently, and experience side effects differently. Talk about the side effects to a doctor and they can make you feel better. If side effects continue and are not easily managed, your doctor may lower your treatment dose. You may want to consult a specialist in complementary and alternative medicine who can help manage the symptoms, using various techniques such as proper nutrition, counselling, physiotherapy, etc.
Unmanaged Cancer Treatment symptoms may cause patients to postpone or avoid therapy altogether. Patients should promptly report symptoms to their care providers because symptoms may be a sign of a more serious problem requiring action, also because the longer a symptom remains unmanaged, the greater will be the patient's distress and the harm to wellbeing.
At ZenOnco.io,we aim to extend life and improve the quality of life for cancer patients through integrative oncology treatment. To know more about our approaches give us call at +91-9372976783 or share your details here.
If you lose hair during treatment, it will usually grow back a few months after treatment has finished, but sometimes Hair loss is permanent. At lower doses of Chemotherapy or radiotherapy, Hair loss is often temporary, but at higher doses, Hair loss can be permanent.
Cancer-related tiredness or Fatigue is quite common. 80 to 100 per cent of cancer patients report tiredness. The tiredness that people with cancer feel is different from the tiredness of everyday life. It may not go away with sleep or rest. Some people may feel too exhausted to eat, go to the bathroom or even use a television remote. It can be difficult to walk around or even think, at times. However, it can be managed through medications, self-care and healthy nutrition.
Treatments for cancer may reduce your appetite or change the way food tastes or smells. Side effects such as problems with the mouth and throat, or Nausea and Vomiting can also make eating difficult.
To minimize the appetite loss you can:
- Eating six small meals
- Eating nutrient-dense high-protein, high-calorie foods
- Small adjustments in seasonings
- Mild, brief exercise can stimulate the appetite.
- Acupuncture
- Some traditional herbal teas may stimulate appetite:4
- Catnip
- Ginger
- Fennel
- Peppermint
- Gentian extract may stimulate appetite
Supplementation with zinc or omega-three fatty acids may be helpful.
At ZenOnco.io, we aim to extend life and improve the quality of life for cancer patients through integrative oncology treatment. To know more about our approaches give us call at +91-9372976783 or share your details here.
Some cancer treatments, such as Chemotherapy and radiotherapy, can increase your bleeding and bruising as side effects.
You can manage these by:
- Replacing certain medicines like Aspirin and Ibuprofen
- Taking extra care to prevent bleeding by applying lotion or balm
- Keeping the bruises clean by covering them with a clean cloth and putting ice on them
Constipation means having irregular bowel movements and stools that can be hard, dry, and difficult to pass. Constipation is a side effect of Chemotherapy.
To manage constipation, you should:
- Eat high-fibre foods
- Drink plenty of liquids
- Try to be active every day
- Use medicine prescribed by doctors
Diarrhoea means experiencing soft or watery bowel movements more often than usual. Treatments for cancer, or even cancer itself, may cause Diarrhoea. Diarrhoea that leads to dehydration or loss of too much body fluid and low salt and potassium levels can be life-threatening.
Diarrhoea can be managed by:
- Drinking plenty of fluid each day
- Eating small meals that are easy on your stomach
- Taking prescribed medication for diarrhoea
- Keeping your anal area clean and dry.
Treating specific cancer-related problems, such as anaemia or pain, could make you feel better. Sometimes adjusting the medicine doses you are taking or switching to another drug can help. Exercise, yoga, massage therapy, counselling and dietary or nutritional therapy may also be used to minimize cancer-related Fatigue.
At ZenOnco.io,we aim to extend life and improve the quality of life for cancer patients through integrative oncology treatment. To know more about our approaches give us call at +91-9372976783 or share your details here.
Several complementary approaches can be helpful for Fatigue. Some evidence-based integrative therapies with that are effective in managing Fatigue are:
- Acupuncture
- Panax ginseng
- Massage therapy from a therapist trained in oncology massage
- Mind-body approaches including these:
- Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness-based Stress reduction (MBSR)
- Hypnosis
- Qigong
- Tai chi
- Yoga
- Regular physical activity
- Therapies based on a philosophy of bioenergy fields:
- Reiki
Some types of Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy can cause the hair on your head and other parts of your body to fall out. It can be managed by:
- Treating your hair gently
- Considering cutting your hair
- Using scalp cooling caps
- Planning for a head covering like wigs
- Applying medicine like Minoxidil
An infection is the invasion and growth of germs like bacteria, viruses, yeast, or other fungi. It can start anywhere in the body, may spread all over the body. You can prevent infection by:
- Washing your hands often and well
- Staying extra clean
- Avoiding germs
In case you still have an infection, it is best not to treat it on your own and get it managed by your doctor.
If you have difficulty in remembering things, thinking or concentrating, you or a family member needs to tell your doctor about it. Here are several steps you can take to handle minor issues with memory or concentration:
- Plan your daily to-do tasks at the time of day when you feel best and take enough rest.
- Exercise your body and mind to decrease Stress and help you to feel more active.
- Remember things by writing them down and using a daily planner or recorder
Nausea is when you feel sick to the stomach, as though you are about to throw up. Vomiting is throwing up in an attempt to empty the stomach. It can be managed by:
- Taking an anti-nausea medicine
- Drinking plenty of water and fluids
- Avoiding foods that increase your nausea
- Using complementary medicine practices like:
- Acupuncture, acupressure and electro-acupuncture
- Ginger tea and some herbal teas
- Aromatherapy
- Mild exercise
- Eating appropriately
- Mind-body approaches including imagery and relaxation strategies
At ZenOnco.io, we aim to extend life and improve the quality of life for cancer patients through integrative oncology treatment. To know more about our approaches give us call at +91-9372976783 or share your details here.
Pain is occasionally caused by cancer itself or by the side effects of Cancer Treatment. Pain management is an important part of the cancer care plan. Pain can be managed by:
- Keeping track of your Pain levels and informing your doctor about the changes
- Taking the prescribed Pain medicine
- Consulting with a Pain specialist
- Using integrative medicine like massage therapy or physiotherapy
At ZenOnco.io, we aim to extend life and improve the quality of life for cancer patients through integrative oncology treatment. To know more about our approaches give us call at +91-9372976783 or share your details here.
Complementary therapies can be of great help in managing Pain. Some persistent Pain is better handled by an integrative approach that incorporates traditional therapies and procedures with complementary approaches like:
At ZenOnco.io, we aim to extend life and improve the quality of life for cancer patients through integrative oncology treatment. To know more about our approaches give us call at +91-9372976783 or share your details here.
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