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Dr. Nathan Neufeld, Pain and Palliative Care Program Director for Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), answers your questions about pain and pain management.
Cancer patients not only contend with the stress of everyday life, they also face worries associated with a diagnosis, the challenges of treatment, and fear of recurrence. It’s important to find healthy coping strategies, as prolonged stress can take a toll on your overall health.
Sometimes, allowing yourself the time, and room, to see the humor in some of life's lighter moments can bring levity to the situation. In those moments, choosing to laugh is like a booster shot to your resilience, with no unpleasant side effects and hopefully some unexpectedly pleasant ones.
It’s normal to feel angry and have anxiety as you constantly worry about the loved one under your care. You may also experience a loss of control due to the restrictions that your loved one’s pain has put on your own life. If you ignore your own emotions, these feelings can lead not only to emotional distress but, over time, to physical distress.
Changes in sexual function or libido for both sexes most often come as a result of cancer treatment. Learn more.
The 3D nipple tattoo, or “nat” as it’s called in the trade, uses shadows and highlights to restore a sense of depth and detail to the reconstructed breast. Dr. Rola Eid, Medical Director of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at our hospital in Tulsa, says the technique can go a long way in helping patients feel whole again.
Dr. Karen Smorowski says her experiences as a breast cancer patient have greatly impacted how she relates to patients. “My journey has taught me even more compassion and empathy, and how important it is to actually listen to the patient and what they’re experiencing,” she says.
Breast cancer affects women in unique ways. The disease itself and treatments like surgery and chemotherapy can bring drastic changes, including early menopause, pain and body image issues. A number of supportive therapies can help. They’re all part of an integrative approach to care that treats the whole person, not just the cancer.
To clear up some of the confusion, the CancerCenter360 blog developed an occasional series called, “What's the difference?,” to familiarize patients with cancer terminology and help increase their cancer IQ. Here are summaries of the series installments from the past year.
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The information contained in this blog is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Nothing contained in the blog is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment of any illness, condition or disease.