CANCER, HEALTHCARE, LUNG CANCER
When you or someone close to you finds out they have lung cancer, it shocks you to the core, you do not know what to do, you think this is it, you loved ones gather all the information they can about this unfortunate disease, but in that moment it can be understandably be a lot of information to process, and it isn’t like this disease is curable, or is ?
There are billions of cells in your body that undergo rapid death in your body on a daily basis to help pave the way for new cells to generate and take there place, but there are times when these cells go rouge and just don’t die, so these rouge cells are called cancer in gross over simplification. After this the cells disrupt the bodily functions stopping them from working altogether, but this happens in stages and it does show symptoms, so if you are aware about it, you can track it, symptoms like, 1. Shortness of breath 2. Fatigue 3. Pain 4. Increased secretions 5. Reduced mobility 6. Malnutrition 7. Anxiety and Depression 8. Cachexia – weakness and wasting of body due to severe chronic illness, which later results into poor physical functioning, poor psychological health and poor quality of life. This doesn’t mean that everything just ends here, physiotherapy can help you, how? These patients benefit from Physiotherapy – Cancer Rehabilitation, which aims at Restoration of individual to the fullest physical, psychosocial & occupational potential with the limitation of disease.
The benefits of Pulmonary Rehab in Cancer patients : 1. Reduced length of hospital stay 2. Reduced post-op complications 3. Increased Functional capacity 3. Increased Oxygen Consumption 4. Increased muscle strength 5. Provides symptom control 6. Improves Health related Quality of life
Modes of Intervention for Lung Cancer Rehab: 1.Smoking cessation 2. Exercise Training 3. Airway clearance techniques 4. Energy conservation strategies 5. Pain control modalities 6. Stress Management / Relaxation 7. Nutritional guidance 8. Patient & Family Education 9. Spreading Awareness about Cancer support groups for patients & Caregivers. Also, radical surgery , chemotherapy and / or radiotherapy physio could also help in subduing the effect.