Approach to the Care of Cancer Throughout this paper, this writer will explain the diagnosis and staging of cancer. Cancer is the general name given to a group of related diseases which can occur in any part of the body. Cancer is when the body’s cells start dividing without stopping and spread to the tissues of the body. The National Cancer Institute (NCI), 2015 states that there is over 100 types of cancer. Cancer affects the person, family, and healthcare providers. Complications of the disease and treatments will be discussed and how the cancer affects the person. The writer will look at the ways to decrease the psychological and physical effects of the disease and treatments. Nurses play a role in providing psychological care and
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Pain can be caused from the cancer itself or a treatment such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. It can continue after radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery, therefore affecting one’s quality of life. Pain can affect a patient’s mood, sleep, and completing activities of daily living. Pain management can help patients to cope and control pain. Medications, breathing and relaxation techniques, and other diversions help with pain. Side effects from pain medications can be relieved if they cause nausea or constipation. Fatigue, the most common side effect, can be from the cancer or treatments. Research shows about 40% to 100% of cancer patients suffer with fatigue, ACS (2014). It may be caused by the actual cancer, pain medications, surgery, infection, chemotherapy, low blood counts, or radiation therapy. Each person experiences cancer fatigue differently from being mild to severe and lasting different lengths of time. Patients describe it as being listless, drained, or weak. It is distressing because rest does not relieve the fatigue and activity can cause exhaustion differing from day to day. Fatigue can affect patients emotionally, physically, and mentally. It affects work, relationships, self-care, mood, and doing things enjoyed in life. Part of cancer care is fatigue management and it should be addressed with the interdisciplinary team for the …show more content…
Having cancer does not mean a person has to live their life in pain. Living in pain can cause lack of sleep, stress, depression, frustration, and concern. Patients can work with pain management, nurses, physicians, oncologists, neurologists, psychologists, and pharmacists to control pain. All members of the cancer team should collaborate to find the optimal solution for the patient. The best way to relieve pain is to manage it before it becomes out of control, therefore requiring less pain medication and relief sooner. Patients and families fear addiction to pain medication when treating cancer pain and will sometimes hold doses. They need to be reassured that taking pain medication correctly and safely does not cause addiction. Doses will be lowered as necessary and non-narcotic pain medication can also be used. Narcotic pain medications can cause nausea, vomiting, constipation, drowsiness, and itching. Managing the doses, times the medications are taken, and the types of medications can help with the side effects. Stool softeners can lessen constipation caused from the narcotics. When the pain is lessened, the patient will be less depressed, sleep better, eat better, become more active, and be more involved in their care and
Pain can be caused from the cancer itself or a treatment such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. It can continue after radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery, therefore affecting one’s quality of life. Pain can affect a patient’s mood, sleep, and completing activities of daily living. Pain management can help patients to cope and control pain. Medications, breathing and relaxation techniques, and other diversions help with pain. Side effects from pain medications can be relieved if they cause nausea or constipation. Fatigue, the most common side effect, can be from the cancer or treatments. Research shows about 40% to 100% of cancer patients suffer with fatigue, ACS (2014). It may be caused by the actual cancer, pain medications, surgery, infection, chemotherapy, low blood counts, or radiation therapy. Each person experiences cancer fatigue differently from being mild to severe and lasting different lengths of time. Patients describe it as being listless, drained, or weak. It is distressing because rest does not relieve the fatigue and activity can cause exhaustion differing from day to day. Fatigue can affect patients emotionally, physically, and mentally. It affects work, relationships, self-care, mood, and doing things enjoyed in life. Part of cancer care is fatigue management and it should be addressed with the interdisciplinary team for the …show more content…
Having cancer does not mean a person has to live their life in pain. Living in pain can cause lack of sleep, stress, depression, frustration, and concern. Patients can work with pain management, nurses, physicians, oncologists, neurologists, psychologists, and pharmacists to control pain. All members of the cancer team should collaborate to find the optimal solution for the patient. The best way to relieve pain is to manage it before it becomes out of control, therefore requiring less pain medication and relief sooner. Patients and families fear addiction to pain medication when treating cancer pain and will sometimes hold doses. They need to be reassured that taking pain medication correctly and safely does not cause addiction. Doses will be lowered as necessary and non-narcotic pain medication can also be used. Narcotic pain medications can cause nausea, vomiting, constipation, drowsiness, and itching. Managing the doses, times the medications are taken, and the types of medications can help with the side effects. Stool softeners can lessen constipation caused from the narcotics. When the pain is lessened, the patient will be less depressed, sleep better, eat better, become more active, and be more involved in their care and