When faced with a life-threatening illness, patients and their families may look to palliative care or hospice services as part of the patients' medical management. Palliative and hospice care share a medical philosophy. Both types of care focus...
Once a cancer patient is terminal, the aim is no longer to achieve a cure but to manage any distressing physical or psychological symptoms. Palliative care focuses on the comfort and care of those nearing death. The palliative care team chooses...
There is probably no more important time to be sure you and your physician can communicate than when you have to talk about a serious illness. If you try to discuss difficult questions and you don't seem to establish good rapport, it may be time...
Patient cares continues even when medical treatment for terminal illness ends. Healthcare focus then turns to insuring patient comfort, as well as managing the progression of the terminal illness and its impact on loved ones. The National Hospice...
Home health care in Clearwater, Florida, must be undertaken carefully, preferably with the help of a geriatric care manager if an elderly loved one needs in-home assistance. Since there is no state-administered licensing or certification process...
Hospice comes from the word "hospis," which means both host and guest in Latin. Over the years, it has come to refer to a place of rest on a journey, a guesthouse, and that's exactly what a modern hospice program attempts to create. Hospice in...
Acute myeloid leukemia, also known as AML, is a cancer that originates in the bone marrow. The initial treatment for AML focuses on sending the cancer into remission. Sometimes after a period of remission the cancer will come back, leading to an...
Cancer cells are highly mutated cells that are able to proliferate rapidly and indefinitely, evade cellular death and migrate throughout the body to form secondary tumors. As cancer progresses, the cells evolve and acquire more and more genetic...
Nausea refers to the feeling of having to vomit. According to The American College of Gastroenterology, vomiting occurs most often as a protective measure to expel any dangerous substances the sufferer may have swallowed. It may also happen during...
Illinois is home to more than 820,000 U.S. veterans. Of those, more than 68,000 receive monthly disability compensation, and 9,000 receive pensions from the U.S. Veterans Administration (VA). Many qualify for VA home health care benefits, defined...
A rebound headache is a type of head pain that is experienced on a regular basis (sometimes every day) and occurs when a person is taking medications to treat frequent headaches. Rebound headaches are typically described as being a tight pressure...
Finding home health care in Tampa, Florida, can be stressful if you or your loved one has had a recent health care emergency such as an accident, stroke or heart attack. Hillsborough County and the State of Florida can help you to generate a list...
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, better known as AIDS was first recognized in 1981, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus, also known as HIV. HIV destroys the cells in the...
Death is a certainty, and everyone will be touched by it sooner or later. According to the American Hospice Foundation, all Americans know what hospice is, and they will make it an explicit part of their long-term plans. It is important to...
End-stage Alzheimer's disease is the final stage preceding death. Alzheimer's patients react differently to the final stage of the condition; some may accept the dying process passively while others continue to fight the disease until death occurs.
COPD, also known as chronic obstructive pulomonary disease, is a condition affecting your lung's ability to intake air effectively. This breathing condition has no known cure and is progressive, meaning it gets worse as time passes by, according...
Opioids are drugs or medications that are similar in effect or structure to opium. They are used most commonly to treat moderate to severe pain. One common side effect of opiate use is constipation. It is important to consult a physician for...
"Miracle mouthwash" is particularly beneficial for treating stomatitis, an inflammation in the mouth stemming from numerous conditions, including infections, allergies, cancer treatment and AIDS. Stomatitis can be severe enough to interfere with...
Dyspnea, or shortness of breath, is the sensation of difficult or uncomfortable breathing associated with a variety of conditions including lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases, epiglottitis, obesity, lack of exercise and allergies. Treatment...
When a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness, it is natural for both patient and family to feel fear and anxiety. During this emotional time, it can be difficult for family members to express their feelings. However, by directly...
Yoga may benefit people with mental health problems. If you suffer from bipolar disorder, yoga may help to provide relief from the extreme mood changes, elevate levels of depression and improve self image. However, yoga is not a substitute for...
Whether it takes place in a patient's home or in an institutional setting, hospice care in the United States and other wealthy countries often includes artificial nutrition and hydration, or food and fluids -- sometimes called assisted or...
In Western society, the benefits of massage were once reserved for the wealthy. The term "massage parlor" is often used as a euphemism for for a brothel. However, massage has been an important part of traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, for the...
For some patients, the physical suffering caused by cancer is equivalent to the trauma of chemotherapy and radiation therapies. The physical impact will vary with the type and location of the cancer and the kind of treatment the patient undergoes....
Congestive heart failure is a serious and progressive disease. It can also be fatal. It occurs when your heart muscle is no longer able to pump enough blood--and the oxygen it carries--to your body. Fluid begins to accumulate and your body becomes...
Seroquel, or quetiapine fumarate, is an antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These mental illnesses are caused by severe chemical imbalances in the brain. Schizophrenia symptoms include disabling interference...
Estrogen is a hormone that is present in both men and women. Women have higher concentrations of estrogen during childbearing years. Then during menopause, or following some forms of hysterectomy, estrogen production falls. Estrogen replacement...
Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years as a way to strengthen the body and the mind. People with health conditions or chronic pain can benefit from practicing yoga. The exercise helps control weight, improves respiratory efficiency,...
The specific type of surgery your oncologist will recommend depends on the stage your lung cancer has reached. Surgery is usually recommended only for large cell lung tumors that are still in stage 1 or 2 of development, meaning they haven't yet...
