Specialized Care

Specialized care that is designed to ease symptoms of mesothelioma is termed palliative care. Its ultimate goal is to make sure the patient remains as comfortable as possible, and provide a support system for family and friends during the various stages of the disease. It involves helping patients undergoing treatment to prolong life, as well as patients who are dying and past the stages for receiving traditional treatment.

There are several symptoms that can be effectively managed with specialized care of this kind. These include:

Pain

Managing pain is a large part of palliative care for cancer patients. There are physicians who specialize in pain management available for consultation. Up to 90% of cancer patients reportedly deal with pain. Pain management approaches range from using medications to alternative methods. Exercising, breathing and relaxation exercises, acupuncture, and massage techniques are just a few of these approaches.

Fatigue

Fatigue may result from either treatment or the disease itself. Fatigue is generally characterized by a lack of energy, irritability, decreased activity, and other issues. Treating fatigue with palliative care can include the use of nutrition programs, medications, and methods to better manage stress.

Respiratory Issues

A major issue mesothelioma patients often deal with is shortness of breath. This can be caused by afflictions of the lungs as well as emotional distress. Oxygen and techniques for relaxation and better circulation are often integrated into palliative care.

Loss of Appetite

Because of fatigue, pain, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms, mesothelioma patients often develop a loss of appetite that can lead to severe malnutrition. Nutritional counseling is one of the most common methods for managing this.

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth can be caused by medications, poor nutrition, aggressive treatments, and other issues. This issue can be alleviated with increased fluid intake, use of humidifiers, proper oral hygiene, gum chewing, vitamin C tablets, and other means.

Digestive Issues

Gastrointestinal or digestive problems often occur in cancer patients, resulting from medications or treatments as well as disease progression. Symptoms of a gastrointestinal issue include vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. A nutritionist as well as a physician can provide remedies for helping to alleviate these symptoms.

Skin Irregularities

Skin problems including itching, dryness, and sores often accompany cancers of all types. The more quickly one can find remedies for this type of discomfort, the lesser the chance for risking related infection. Drinking plenty of water, using skin moisturizers and creams, and adding moisturizers like mineral oil to one’s bath can help with skin problems. Preventative measures like regularly changing bedding and towels may also be extremely helpful. To minimize risk of infection, it is important to keep skin clean and check for new irregularities regularly.

Depression and Anxiety

Unfortunately, depression and anxiety are not uncommon in cancer patients. These often come with the territory for dealing with any terminal illness and can affect the patient as well as their loved ones. Intense fear, worry, and panic attacks can be short term or long term, and may result from pain, separation, medication, and other factors. Controlling depression and anxiety may involve counseling, pain and stress management, antidepressants, and other forms of support.

For almost any issue related to mesothelioma, a palliative care plan can be tailored to help make patients and their families feel as comfortable as possible.