Radiation therapy is used in cancer patients. It involves using beams of high energy X-rays or particles to kill cancer cells or shrink cancerous growths. Radiation therapy typically comes from outside the body; high beams are concentrated on areas that are affected by cancer. Radiation works by causing damage to genetic material in cells that control the growth and division of cells. Radiation therapy can be used alone or in combination with other cancer treatments such as chemotherapy.
Side Effects of Radiation Treatment
While the goal of radiation treatment is to kill cancerous cells, some healthy cells are also lost in the process, which is one negative side effect of radiation. However, it's important to note that care is taken to destroy as few normal cells as possible.
In addition to destroying healthy cells, radiation can cause hair loss at the treatment site, fatigue, irritability, skin irritation, dry mouth, cough, difficulty swallowing, shortness of breath, nausea, diarrhea, bladder problems, vomiting, earaches, sore throat and sore jaw. Additionally, radiation can affect the way food tastes to some cancer patients.
While many side effects from radiation develop immediately, some develop later in rare cases. However, no pain is felt during radiation and great care is taken to ensure that patients are as comfortable as possible during treatment.
Positive effects from radiation can occur immediately, or it can take weeks or months for the cancer to respond to treatment. Every situation is different and depends on the types and numbers of treatments as well as the severity of the cancer.
Managing Radiation Side Effects
In order to stay as healthy as possible and counteract some of the side effects of radiation therapy, there are several steps that patients can take. These things include eating a healthy, balanced diet; getting plenty of rest to avoid fatigue; taking care of skin in the treatment area by staying away from tapes, bandages, and irritating ingredients in lotions, creams and other products; avoiding extreme heat or cold on the treatment area; and avoiding sun exposure to the affected areas.
Dealing with specific side effects can be different for every patient. Those who suffer from extreme fatigue can ask family or friends for help with daily tasks, prioritize to get important things done or balance rest periods with activity periods. Those who have trouble with skin after radiation should avoid tight clothing in the radiated area, avoid creams, lotions and cosmetic products on the affected area, avoid hair removal in the area and avoid rubbing or scratching the area.
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