Palliative medicine is a booming area of medicine. However, there is some doubt about what palliative treatment is, how it works, who should receive it, what it is, and why.
Palliative care aims to enhance the quality of life for patients suffering from life-altering diseases. Sometimes, it's referred to as supportive care.
Palliative
care aims to improve general health and wellness, including physical and
emotional well-being and spiritual and social wellbeing.
Is
palliative treatment a form of care?
Palliative
care aims to improve the health of those suffering from a severe illness. This
includes signs and stress that come with being a patient with the effects of a
chronic illness. It could also provide the support of loved ones or caregivers.
Because it's
based upon personal needs, palliative
treatment may differ from one patient to the next. The care plan could
include some or all of the following objectives:
* relieving
symptoms, which include adverse effects of treatment.
* gaining a
better understanding of illnesses and their development.
* Identifying
and meeting spiritual and practical requirements.
* aiding in
coping with mood changes and feelings related to illnesses.
• aiding in
understanding the treatment options and making treatment decisions, and
coordinating the care.
* identifying and gaining access to additional resources for support.
Palliative
care examples
Palliative
treatment is an option for a variety of conditions. The most frequent ailments
for which palliative care may be beneficial include:
* Cancer
*
Cardiovascular illnesses
* Dementia
* Chronic
obstructive lung disease (COPD)
These
examples are described in more detail in the following paragraphs.
Palliative
treatment for cancer
Cancer is
among the most frequent illnesses related to palliative care since both
symptoms and treatment may significantly impact the quality of your living.
Palliative
cancer care varies depending on:
* The kind
of cancer
* Symptoms
* Treatment
* Age
* Prognosis
Anyone who
has had a recent cancer diagnosis may receive palliative treatment to help
manage the adverse effects of radiation or chemotherapy or to assist them in
recovering from surgery.
Cancer
palliative care often involves treatments for depression or anxiety and tools
that aid family members in planning for the future.
Palliative care for heart disease
Cardiovascular
conditions can impact the quality of life of an individual and their ability to
take care of themselves. The most common cardiovascular diseases are:
* Heart
failure
* Coronary
artery disease
* Stroke
* Aortic
stenosis
The
palliative care system is not being utilized in the world for patients with
heart disease, as per The World Health Organization (WHO) Trusted Source.
In a review
of a 2019 study and Chughtai lab report, researchers looked at patterns in the
death places for those suffering from the cardiovascular disease across the
United States. The review reveals that early palliative treatment can aid in
ensuring that patients with these illnesses will have the preferred end-of-life
outcomes. The increase in early palliative care could boost the number of
people who seek hospice care.
The
palliative care offered to patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases can
help patients with various symptoms and support mental health and
decision-making for patients and their family members. It could also help in
planning for the end of life, should it be required.
Palliative
care for dementia
Dementia is
a sign of deterioration in brain function. It can significantly affect an
individual's
* Cognition
* Memory
* Language
* Judgment
* Behavior
Palliative
care could include treatments for dementia-related anxiety. As the disease
progresses, it could require helping family members make difficult decisions
regarding feeding or caring for their loved ones. This may also mean assistance
for caregivers of the family.
Palliative treatment for COPD
Palliative
care can assist people in dealing with COPD, a respiratory condition that
causes shortness of breath and coughing.
In this
case, palliative treatment could include treatments for anxiety, discomfort, or
insomnia caused by breathing problems. You may also receive advice regarding
lifestyle modifications like stopping smoking, which can increase your activity
level and reduce your condition's severity.
What are
the advantages of palliative treatment?
Palliative
treatment aims to enhance your quality of life for those suffering from
terminal or severe illness and help their families. Some of the benefits
include:
* Support
for managing symptoms. Specialists in palliative care can assist those with
symptom management and pain management, according to an article from
2017—review trusted sources on patients who have advanced cancer.
• Improved
quality of living. According to a study in 2020 conducted by Trusted Source on
those with Parkinson's disease and related disorders, patients who received
palliative treatment measured their quality of living at three points better
than those who received conventional treatment.
* Lower risk
of depression. Early palliative treatment is associated with a reduced risk of
depression among patients newly diagnosed with advanced cancer, according to a
review published in 2017—Research Source.
* Longer
survival. This review also suggests that depression and death could be related,
leading to more prolonged trusted Source survival for those with advanced
cancer receiving palliative care.
* Support in
making decisions. Palliative care specialists offer support to patients
diagnosed with a severe illness and their families to make informed decisions
regarding the treatment and care they receive for their disease and provide
support for managing their emotions when faced with the diagnosis.
* Help for
caregivers and family members. The palliative care program can provide
educational and emotional assistance for family members who care for a loved
one suffering from a severe illness.
• Improved
satisfaction of caregivers. According to a report from the 2016 review, trusted
sources of palliative care consistently improves the satisfaction of the
patient and the caregiver.
Who can provide this medical?
A
multidisciplinary team of health specialists who have been trained in this
particular type of medical treatment
offers palliative care.
Your
palliative care team may comprise any of the following:
* A
palliative care doctor
Other
doctors, like a neurologist, respiratory specialist, or psychiatrist
* Nurses
* A social
worker
* A
counselor
* A
psychologist
* A
prosthetist
* A
pharmacist
* A physical
therapist
* An
occupational therapy
* An artist
or musician therapy
* A
nutritionist or dietitian
* A pastor,
chaplain, or priest
* Palliative
care volunteers
* Caregiver
The
palliative care team of your doctor will strive to ensure your complete
(all-around) wellbeing throughout your disease.
