Side effects of chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a widely used treatment for cancer. More specifically, this therapy is administered to destruct cancer cells. However, it may also include some antibiotics along with other medications for treating severe infection or illness.

1. Side Effects Of
Chemotherapy
Stay Informed

2. Chemotherapy is a widely used treatment for cancer. More
specifically, this therapy is administered to destruct cancer cells.
However, it may also include some antibiotics along with other
medications for treating severe infection or illness.

Chemotherapy is, now, practically the only treatment that
offers hope against cancer. In fact, there has been remarkable
improvement in the reports with respect to chemotherapy
from different cancer treatment centers located at various
corners of the world.

However, the distressing side effects of chemotherapy leaves
patients impaired and often in a debilitating state of physical
and emotional health.

3. Most people would normally link
chemotherapy and its
medications with some of the
most uncomfortable after
effects.

However, it is important to note
that there are ways to manage
the side effects, which have
proved to be considerably
helpful poker the past two
decades. Many of the inevitable
side effects of the past are either
preventable or controlled today.

4. However, there is no such
reliable method of predicting
how patients would react to the
therapy.

While some patients may
experience mild to moderate
side effects, others may have
none, while even others could
report multiple symptoms.

Cancer treatment centers help
patients to learn more about
their symptoms and the ways to
cope better.

5. Vomiting And Nausea
More than half of all chemotherapy patients will
experience sudden bouts of nausea followed by
vomiting. Doctors normally give anti-emetics to
prevent this symptom.

These medications are to be taken even when there
are no symptoms; it helps in preventing the
symptoms from recurring. If anti-emetics fail to
work effectively on patients, one should contact
the doctor immediately.

6. Alopecia or Hair Loss

The most dreaded of all chemotherapy side effects is
alopecia, or hair loss, or baldness. Hair will start falling
off after a couple of weeks of treatment. On certain
occasions, hair may just become more brittle and
thinner. A patient can lose hair from any or any body
part.

Although there are no consequences of hair loss with
respect to the physical health, it causes embarrassment
and mental distress. The psychological effect in greater
among females than males.

7. Hearing Impairment,
Ototoxicity, Deafness
Deafness can be another
impairing effect of
chemotherapy reported in
the recent times. Hearing
damage or ototoxicity and
hearing loss is becoming a
cause of concern for
patients undergoing
chemotherapy for cancer
treatment.

8. Neutropenia Or Low White
Blood Cell Count
When a patient is receiving
chemotherapy, it is obvious
that the immune system is
weakened because of low
count of white blood cells.

White blood cells are an
important part of the immune
system and they help in fighting
infection. As a result, patients
become susceptible to viral and
bacterial infections.

9. Thrombocytopenia Or Low
Blood Platelet Count

Chemotherapy lowers the blood platelet count of
patients. A platelet is a typical blood cell that aids
coagulation or blood clotting.
Coagulation is an essential part of human life that
stops bleeding. Lower platelet count and
chemotherapy is risky.
Affected patients will bruise easily and may
experience symptoms like bleeding gums and nose
bleeds.

10. Therefore, patients undergoing chemotherapy should take
proper care of their symptoms and report it to the team of
doctors.