Cancer is undoubtedly one of the most terrifying and uncomfortable diseases out there. Whether it’s the constant self-doubt, the irritation of sitting still while you get radiated, or the discomfort that follows surgery, overcoming cancer seriously requires a lot of willpower and grit. However, having said that, it’s not impossible.
According to a study that analyzed breast cancer patients from 2010 – 2016, over 90% of all patients have recovered successfully without any life-threatening challenge. Moreover, due to the widespread knowledge of this condition, numerous tips and pointers can help individuals undergoing breast cancer treatment reduce their discomfort, and have a better overall experience.
The following article discusses a few popular tips for patients, which can help them de-stress after their breast cancer treatment surgery –
- Take necessary precautions for the drain tubes – Several breast cancer surgery patients undergoing double mastectomy are unaware of the drain tubes that are inserted into the patient’s body after the surgery. Hence, a key tip would be to take care of these drain tubes and take certain precautions before the surgery.
- Lifestyle change and how to cope with it – Undoubtedly, one can expect numerous lifestyle and routine changes after undergoing breast cancer treatment.
For example, it often becomes difficult for patients to shower or wash their hair after the surgery. The easiest solution to this problem would be to seek help from certain members of your family or close friends. However, this might not be possible for specific individuals.
Therefore, it often helps under such situations to give yourself a nice therapeutic trip to the salon to get your hair washed. However, for people who can’t afford this luxury, they might want to stock up on several sachets of dry shampoo, which helps to ensure that your hair stays clean during this period.
Moreover, there are towels available for general bathing that are specifically created for such use. These towels help women regulate their self-hygiene safely and securely.
Lastly, another daily routine that gets impacted due to the surgery is one’s sleeping patterns. This is applicable for individuals who are used to sleeping on their sides or twisting their arms to get into a comfortable sleeping position.
However, this luxury would not be available to them post their surgery. A tip that helped numerous patients get accustomed to this new way of sleeping is to utilize more pillows than they usually did. The pillows provide the support that they sought from their shoulder whilst they were turning on one side, without actually impacting their drain tubes.
- Utilizing distractions to your advantage – This tip might be more beneficial for the patient’s companion during this period than the patient itself. But it is often understood that creating healthy distractions that help you while away time post your surgery is often highly beneficial. This is because the simple impact that the surgery has on the patient’s daily routine cannot just be overlooked. Thereby, people often try to get a dog or other creatures (that are friendly to the health conditions of the patient). This helps the individual as a distraction from the post-surgery recovery experience. Moreover, one can also utilize this time to take frequent therapeutic sessions at the salon or even binge-watch your favorite television series.
- Make sure to regularly exercise – Doctors often advise patients undergoing breast cancer treatment to constantly practice several respiratory and mechanical exercises. These exercises can help in restoring blood flow throughout the affected regions. However, the type and intensity with which a patient must perform these exercises should not be decided without prior consultation from their doctor. There are often several basic exercises that an individual can do with a rested arm to help restore the muscle tension and overall toning of that body parts. For example, an individual can do several basic exercises like the wall chest stretch, wall supported lateral pulldowns, wand exercise, or even the shoulder raises.
Breast cancer is amongst the most common types of cancer, with over 7 million women being affected by the condition in India alone. However, with the widespread increase in the number of breast cancer patients, there has also been an increase in the amount of knowledge people have gained regarding its treatment.
As previously mentioned, over 90% of global breast cancer patients find themselves fully recovered after a thorough treatment. With the suggestions listed above, one can truly ensure that their path to recovery is devoid of any significant difficulties.
