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Radiation therapy, surgery, and even chemotherapy are some common options of the treatment for cervical cancer. However, these treatments also can cause serious side effects, and that’s why doctors should consider carefully the pros and cons of each treatment before making a decision! Along with the medical treatment, doctor usually also recommend some helpful natural remedies (home treatments) to ease and control the side effects. Some patients also find a helpful way with some alternative treatments along with their medical treatment.
You may also like to read a related article about signs and symptoms of cervical cancer in women, before continuing!
Furthermore, it’s important to get to know the appropriately steps you need to follow after your treatment. About 60 in 100 of women with cervical cancer will not get persistent /recurrent disease -- according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. This suggests that there is still about 35 in 100 cases will get persistent /recurrent disease.
The percent of the disease to reoccur is usually associated with the stage of the initial cancer. In many cases, cervical cancer that is diagnosed earlier will be less likely to reoccur /come back than cells of cancer that are found /caught at a later stage.
The percent of the disease to reoccur is usually associated with the stage of the initial cancer. In many cases, cervical cancer that is diagnosed earlier will be less likely to reoccur /come back than cells of cancer that are found /caught at a later stage.
Alternative treatment options for cervical cancer
As mentioned before, complementary therapies (such as breathing exercise, yoga, acupuncture, etc) may also be helpful to relieve side effects /symptoms of the cervical cancer treatments -- though there are still less studies to confirm this issue.
Some of these complementary therapies may include:
- Aromatherapy /breathing exercise! It is useful to help patient feel less anxious and more relax.
- Yoga /meditation -- a kind of mind-body therapy. They are believed can be helpful to reduce stress, which then also promote better feeling and helpful for patient to cope with the cancer treatments. They also may decrease chronic low back pain, headaches, and joint pain from the treatments.
- Light massage /biofeedback. Light massage for complementary therapy of cancer treatments is usually without involving intense pressure /deep tissue. It is believed will be useful to ease /relieve tension during cancer treatments.
- Acupuncture! Sometimes doctor recommend taking this therapy in order to help their patients deal with nausea & vomiting. These side effects may occur when you take chemotherapy treatment.
However to keep safe, make sure you consult first with your doctor before taking these complementary therapies, especially about the potential side effects and possible value of these therapies! If these therapies give more possible health benefits and helpful to encourage the successful of your cancer treatments, your doctor usually will support you to take these complementary therapies!
Home treatments /natural remedies for side effects of cervical cancer treatment!
The following are some helpful tips that may be useful to relieve /ease some side effects of the cancer treatments!
Constipation
For this side effect, keep hydrated and with a balanced diet may be effective to ease this symptom. Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables are not only helpful to provide a lot of essential nutrients for the body, but also helpful to provide more liquids in order to keep hydrated.
In addition, if you want to use a laxative to treat constipation, consult first with a doctor to keep safe!
Diarrhea
Being alert for any dehydration signs (such as yellow /dark urine, sticky saliva, and dry mouth) and resting your stomach are some common choices of home treatment to relieve diarrhea. And don’t use non-prescription medicines without consulting with your doctor!
Nausea and vomiting
Before these side effects occur, first you usually will experience some early dehydration signs. That’s why, being alert and treating these early signs of dehydration will help you to reduce your risk of having nausea and vomiting.
Other tips; a little bit of ginger tea /ginger candy (eating smaller meals) sometimes also can be helpful to ease nausea and vomiting.
Pain
Pain is one of side effects that may occur from certain cancer treatments. The following are some key points to deal with this pain:
- In general the pain of cancer treatment can almost always be managed /controlled! Get to know more about your pain (how you feel & how much pain you get) -- then allow your health care team to know what you feel so thus they will clearly understand to give the best treatment to relieve the pain.
- Report immediately if you notice any pain as earlier as possible to your health care team -- don’t choose ‘watchful waiting’ for your pain to get worse!
- Consult also with your doctor about breakthrough pain (a kind of very intense pain /severe pain that may occur due to higher dose of pain medicine, after doing a specific physical activity, etc). You may be recommended to have medicines on hand for this problem. Consult more with a doctor for in-depth information and more advice about this issue!
- There is opinion that taking pain medicines will make you be addicted. But this is not true, because your risk of becoming addicted is very low. Always follow all instructions from your doctor!
Stress
Taking some cervical cancer treatments can put you at higher risk of having stress. Don’t ever underestimate this side effect! It may be potential to reduce your confident to follow the treatment and even also increase your risk of other health problems.
Learning some helpful therapies (such as yoga, relaxation technique, aromatherapy, etc) can be useful to reduce your stress. Expressing your feelings to your family or others is also helpful idea!
Hair loss
It is one of unavoidable side effects, but you can reduce your risk of having irritation of the scalp by avoiding damaging products for the hair and using appropriately shampoos (like mild shampoos)!
Urinary problem
It can occur due to the cancer itself and the treatment of cervical cancer. Be familiar with a schedule of urinating (such as for every 3 to 4 hours), and keep far away from caffeinated drinks are some home treatments that may be helpful to ease urinary problem.
Fatigue
Patients with cervical cancer are also more likely to get fatigue easily! Controlling your stress, stay on a balanced diet, and having adequate rest /extra rest are usually very helpful options to reduce your fatigue.
Sleep problems
There are many options that you can explore to cope with sleep problems -- the following are some helpful tips:
- Establish /be familiar with a scheduled sleep routine! Make a schedule when you go to sleep (bedtime) and when you should get up. Do this every day, even on the weekends. This schedule will be helpful for the body to get used with a scheduled sleep time.
- Caffeine consumption should be restricted, or avoided if necessary. Don’t ever consume caffeine (such as coffee, chocolate, tea, and cola drinks) after noon. Alcohol consumption also should be avoided to get a better sleep!
- Don’t forget to get regular exercise - but avoid doing it 3-4 hours before bedtime! It is not only helpful to make you be easily to get sleep, but also helpful to improve your overall health. Discuss more with your doctor about the appropriately exercise you should do.
- Create a restful place of bedroom! There are a lot of ideas on internet to modify /redecorate your unfriendly bedroom to become a restful place which then will help you to get a better sleep.
- Don’t watch TV or movie in bed! After 15 - 20 minutes in bed but you are still awake, get up and find other activities (such as reading a book) until you feel drowsy. Don’t forget to make a conscious effort to relax your muscles after getting into bed, this idea also will help you to find a peaceful time which then you can fall sleep easily.
- Learning complementary therapies (such as yoga, cognitive behavioral therapy, meditation, etc) is also great idea to improve sleep quality.
*** For more detailed information, consult more with a doctor!
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Reference: WebMD
