You stood tall and defeated cancer and then you started on chemotherapy or radiation.
This is the phase where you might seek some help to get back to your normal routine. And this is where the rehabilitation center comes in to picture. Where techniques like physical and occupational therapy can help you reduce the pain and weakness.
Treatment of cancer is exhausting, there is little or no energy left in your body. Swelling is also a common side effect and it can spread to different parts of the body like arms, hands, or chest area. And if the swelling persists, you might be suffering from lymphedema.
Getting a consultation from your doctor is the first step to do. Further, a doctor can recommend you a rehabilitation center with professionals who can help you with your recovery. The rehabilitation centers have flexible programs according to one’s needs. You can seek help from a rehabilitation center during the treatment or afterward. There are different locations or places where you can find rehabilitation centers. It could be a place like a hospital, a dedicated center, or at home.
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During this hard time, support is very much beneficial for your fast and efficient recovery. The idea of getting into the rehabilitation center might seem too much. However, one should always consider therapy as a way to overcome all the issues. This is a step towards the normal life you used to have. The rehabilitation centers are using physical and occupational therapy as a means to recover patients after surgery. However, researchers have observed that these therapies have been useful for breast cancer patients as well. In addition to that, breast cancer patients can get fewer side effects when they are getting therapies like this to recover.
These therapies are known to improve stamina, strength, and muscle conditioning. Rehabilitation professionals observe the patient and provide therapies that are essential for them in recovery. These therapies are totally based on one’s physical and mental condition.
In these centers,
the goal is to keep improving mobility or functioning rather than reducing the pain. The professional can teach various exercises that can help with the recovery process. Apart from that proper understanding of the process is beneficial and that’s why therapists often explain the process to the patients and help them to achieve the goals on which they are working. They also work closely with patients to give them regular updates on progress and make them comfortable with daily activities. Regular screening for early detection of severe conditions like lymphedema helps a therapist start the treatment early to get improved outcomes.
The therapist understands that cancer treatments could be overwhelming and therapies like physical and occupational could help a person recover fast and efficiently. That is why this is the place to start for a better recovery.
Who should look for this?
Getting back on normal routine could be difficult after surgery and if you are unable to start these activities within a few weeks after treatment then you should seek help from a rehabilitation center where they can come up with a personalized recovery program that can help to recover fast and can also help you get back to normal routines in no time. Your symptoms will become the base for your personalized recovery plan. The severity of your symptoms could tell your therapist about the time it takes for a full recovery.
Rehabilitation helps a person get rid of problems like neuropathy, lymphedema, and weakness. These centers help you get back to your normal life by fixing your pain.
Why it is important?
There could be many reasons for a person to get help from a rehabilitation center as these centers are helping people repair their bodies after many exhausting treatments.
Many people think of chemotherapy as cancer care. However, they often overlook Rehabilitation as an important treatment. Breast cancer could leave a person suffering from severe painful symptoms and side effects. And a rehabilitation center could help a person get rid of these symptoms.
Here are a few reasons why rehabilitation is important:
- Rehabilitation can help people get physical and emotional support.
- These centers can personalize according to patients’ needs.
- Rehabilitation center helps people according to their timeline.
- Patients don’t need a referral to seek help from rehabilitation centers.
- These centers could help a person get quality of life.
Types of therapy
While visiting a doctor, he should analyze whether a person is suffering from stiffness, numbness, mobility issues, or other physical problems due to treatment. Based on these physical problems, a doctor should recommend physical therapy. Physical therapists are professionals who are trained to help people suffering from injuries and illnesses. They help people manage their pain and movement problems.
A good therapist will thoroughly analyze your body movement and will recommend you a powerful recovery plan that is designed just for you. Therapy sessions might include massages, stretching, strength and flexibility training, techniques for preventing lymphedema, etc.
A therapist can help you understand…
the working of exercise and how they are going to help you in your recovery. He might instruct you to add more exercises in your daily routine. A therapist never wants you to push your limits. He wants you to gradually gain more and more strength physically and mentally to recover fast.
Apart from physical therapy, there is one more therapy known as occupational therapy, which focuses on the daily routine of a person from waking up to going to bed. Here as well, you have to set goals for yourself. A therapist will help you achieve those goals and support you as well whenever you struggle and provide solutions.
A therapist may suggest different ways to do daily chores by helping you prioritize and schedule tasks to make the most out of them. You will get support for new changes in your lifestyle and also you will learn about the relaxation techniques to help manage pain and stress.
Life after this…
Returning to normal is hard, returning to those familiar things is hard, the new choice that you have to make is hard. As a result, to end of treatment does not mean the end of the journey with breast cancer. Chemobrain – inability to focus or fatigue are the 2 most common symptoms that come with treatments from breast cancer. These symptoms could be frustrating and have troubling side effects that you have to face after treatment.
A physiotherapist in vasant kunj can help you with these types of side effects and help you plan to return to home or work by simply assisting you with daily routines. Sometimes, assessments at your workplace help you understand your physical and mental status and they can assist with some helpful adjustment in your duties.
FAQS
1. Will I need a special diet after treatment?
2. Are there any limits on what I can do?
3. Am I at risk for lymphedema?
4. What can I do to reduce my risk for lymphedema?
5. What should I do if I notice swelling in my arm?
6. What other symptoms should I watch for? What kind of exercise should I do now?
7. What type of follow-up will I need after treatment?
