Rehabilitation after radiation therapy of the cervix
For any woman, a diagnosis of cervical cancer is perceived as a death sentence. To date, medicine has replenished with many unique techniques that help in the fight against this disease. The most important thing after undergoing radiation therapy is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and eat right, then there is a high probability of positive results in the future.
Oncological diseases in gynecology are becoming more common today. The most important is the early detection of pathology in the cervix and the possible presence of cancer cells. It is in this case that doctors can start the right treatment in a timely manner, which in 95% of cases guarantees a complete recovery. For cervical cancer, radiation therapy is used. It is the most effective, but it also has its negative consequences. After completing the full course, a woman manifests one of the forms of radiation sickness. Under the influence of radioactive rays, not only the affected, but also healthy cells are destroyed. Radiation accumulates in a woman's body after long-term treatment. After radiation therapy, a woman may experience the following negative symptoms:
- severe nausea and vomiting;
- pain sensations;
- severe swelling;
- jumps in body temperature;
- kidney dysfunction, etc.
Under the influence of radiation, changes occur in the work of almost all organs in humans. That is why it is very important after undergoing a course of radiation therapy of the cervix to conduct a proper recovery after radiation therapy for cervical cancer and to follow a strict diet.
An important fact is the stage of the disease at which the woman went to the doctor: the more difficult it is, the harder it is for doctors to find an effective treatment. As a rule, radiation therapy is carried out in combination with surgical removal of the tumor, further exposure to chemicals (chemotherapy), and only then the effect of radioactive radiation is applied. After such manipulations, the woman's body becomes completely exhausted and requires special care. How to recover after radiation therapy of the cervix ? Here are a few prerequisites for maintaining a woman's health:
- nutrition adjustment (elimination of all harmful foods and the transition to healthy organic food);
- walks in the fresh air every day;
- a small set of physical exercises;
- maintaining normal body weight;
- constant monitoring of specialists (as a rule, after such an operation, a woman is registered with an oncologist);
- if necessary, visit psychotherapy sessions.
In the later stages of radiation sickness, a woman can be tormented by impaired hematopoietic function. To prevent such a problem, you need to constantly take blood tests, if a woman is diagnosed with anemia, then the course of radiation therapy is stopped and all other types of treatment are directed.
A mandatory recommendation for a woman is to take a complex of vitamins, in some cases they can carry out a blood transfusion, prescribe drugs for greater production of leukocytes and erythrocytes. The speed of rehabilitation after radiation therapy depends only on the patient herself.
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Proper nutrition after radiation therapy of the uterus
Compliance with the rules of a healthy diet is also one of the conditions for a better recovery of the body after exposure to ionizing rays. Many experts for the prevention of radiation sickness suggest their patients to take decoctions and tinctures from plants that are anti-radiation, they help restore protective functions in the body.
When diagnosed with cervical cancer for a woman, proper nutrition plays a very important role. The patient needs to include in the diet lean meats (chicken, rabbit, veal, turkey), various types of fish (especially marine due to the high content of phosphorus, which is very good for bones), fresh fruits and vegetables (carriers of vitamins). Dried fruits, nuts, legumes are considered very useful. The use of fatty, spicy foods, mayonnaise, ketchups, smoked meats is contraindicated. All products are best consumed only fresh, they are allowed to be steamed. Of vegetable oils, the use of olive oil is considered more useful, it contains less cholesterol. Meat is recommended, eat no more than 2 times a week, and dairy products are best consumed every day. Proper nutrition after radiation therapy of the uterus plays a very important role in the future life of a woman.
For drinking, it is better to use decoctions from medicinal plants (linden, chamomile, mint, etc.), as well as green tea. Avoid black tea. The use of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products is absolutely unacceptable. When cooking, you need to monitor the amount of added salt and sugar.
Physical exercise
After radiation therapy, doctors strongly recommend that a woman engage in moderate exercise. This helps to speed up the process of strengthening the body. After regular exercise, a woman will feel healthier and stronger.
Immediately after the end of the course, you should start with short daily walks in the fresh air, if it is raining or very cold outside, you can put a treadmill in the gym. Doctors recommend devoting about 30-40 minutes to this activity every day.
The load must be increased gradually under the strict supervision of the trainer and after the permission of the attending physician. Scientists have proven that with regular moderate exercise, the risk of relapse is significantly reduced, and the woman's body becomes more resilient.
Regular doctor visits
With oncology, each of the patients becomes registered with an oncologist. Regular visits to him are a must. This is done in order to timely detect possible relapse, which can occur even several years after the completion of treatment. As a rule, the obligatory procedures are the delivery of a smear, an ultrasound examination, a detailed blood test, in some cases a woman is sent for an MRI.
If a woman suffers from minor disorders in the nervous system, it is best to visit a psychologist. It will help to establish peace of mind and recover after a difficult treatment.
Negative effects of radiation therapy
Very often, a woman begins to suffer from severe fatigue and weakness, since the effect of ionizing radiation on the body practically kills it. After the sessions, dry skin is observed, to eliminate this problem, the patient is prescribed special creams. In most cases, a woman experiences urinary dysfunction: there is severe discomfort every time she goes to the toilet (itching, burning, pain). In this case, doctors recommend the use of special lubricants. Often a woman gives a strong discomfort sexual life. But doctors do not prohibit intimate relationships after radiation therapy, there are only some conditions:
- if the uterus is preserved, care must be taken, as there is a possibility of pregnancy;
- if after the operation the ovaries are preserved, then doctors allow sexual activity;
- if all genital organs are removed, then the woman is prescribed a course of hormonal drugs to maintain sexual function.
The probability of recurrence is observed in the first three years after the discovery and initiation of oncology treatment. As a rule, it depends on at what stage of the disease the woman went to the doctor. To prevent such a process, it is necessary to strictly follow all the recommendations of doctors, undergo diagnostics on time, lead a healthy lifestyle, and perhaps the disease will recede forever.
Recommendations after radiation therapy of the cervix
To prevent cancer, doctors recommend regularly testing for the human papillomavirus, leading a healthy lifestyle, using contraceptives when having sex, etc.
As we can see, treatment after radiation therapy of the uterus is possible, and it completely depends on the desire of the woman to get rid of this problem forever. It must be remembered that the most difficult is rehabilitation in the first few years, since the body is very exhausted by exposure to radioactive radiation. But in no case should you lose optimism and head for a complete recovery!