Studies show that African American men are more at risk for lung cancer than any other ethnicity. Interestingly, the increased incidences of the disease has been linked to genetic causes instead of external factors such as smoking.
Along with the higher risk, Black men are also more likely to be diagnosed with the late-stage form of the illness. It’s at this point that palliative care comes into play. If that’s been suggested for you, here’s what you should know about this kind of care.
One common misconception about palliative care is that it means the patient should be getting ready for the end of the fight against cancer. That’s far from the truth. The fact is that anyone can benefit from palliative care regardless of which stage of lung cancer they’re dealing with.
The point of this kind of care is to provide you with a more well-rounded program that you can’t get from being home and seeing your regular physician. Palliative care focuses on managing your pain, relieving your symptoms (either from the disease or your medication), and reducig your stress levels.
While in palliative care, you’ll have access to different caregivers such as nurses, therapists, specialized doctors, social workers, and other specialists in the area.
Everyone who deals with your care will also be in constant communication with your primary physician, which makes it easier to streamline any changes in your care.
With so many persons working together to manage your care, you’ll be getting all the support you need. Overall, palliative care is a very interactive process so patients will always be informed of what their care entails and feedback is important.
When it comes to advanced lung cancer, palliative care is recommended because of the typical side effects of the disease as well as the medications used to treat it. It takes place at the same time as your doctor’s recommended course of treatment.
That route has been found to be most effective. For example, chemotherapy can cause nausea, pain, fatigue, vomiting, depression, and constipation. Radiation therapy, on the other hand, is likely to cause fatigue, pain, and difficulty eating.
Palliative care also offers procedures that can help with the issues such as fluid in the lungs that make it difficult to breathe.
While in palliative care, you’ll be offered treatment options that help to open your airways, suppress your coughs, and combat your loss of appetite.
The importance of mental health support is typically emphasized in this type of care. While you’re undergoing treatment for advanced lung cancer, you’ll also take part in sessions that are dedicated to mindfulness and your overall mental wellbeing.
These sessions can include massages, meditation classes, and therapy sessions with counsellors who specialize in treating patients with late-stage cancer.
Ideally, your doctor would help you to find the right facility for you to receive palliative care. There’s nothing stopping you from doing some research, though.
One helpful resource that can show you all your options is the GetPallaitiveCare website. After you’ve done your research, it’s still best to consult with your doctor in case there are other factors that you haven’t accounted for.
If you’re dealing with advanced lung cancer, palliative care is a great way to ensure that you’re getting the full-time care that you need. Instead of being the end of your fight, it’s actually an effective option for giving you the necessary tools to be well again.
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