Nausea is a discomfort feeling in the digestive system often characterized by a strong urge to vomit. When you are undergoing cancer treatment, you are likely to experience nausea most of the time. The unease discomfort is mostly caused by the drugs taken during the chemotherapy treatment. Nausea is risky to your health as it causes dehydration. Dehydration is the loss of body fluids and nutrients needed to fight diseases. So what are the causes of nausea?
Causes of Cancer Nausea
The medication administered to you can cause nausea. Cancer medicines and more especially those used for chemotherapy do cause vomiting if given in the wrong dosage. Besides, the drugs have a substance that destroys the stomach and hinder the functioning of chemoreceptor receptor zone of the brain that is responsible for detecting toxic substances. The body will be forced to refuse the harmful components and hence to cause the vomiting. Nausea is also caused by the dose used for radiation therapy.
Cancer itself is known to cause nausea. When the cancer cells attack the brain and liver, most of their function is affected. The mind is the essential part of the body which controls vomiting. Once the brain is damaged, it will not be able to coordinate other body parts in preventing nausea.
Treatment pain, especially in the digestive system, causes nausea. There various ways of treating cancer and one of them is the injection technique. Drugs, which are in liquid form, are directly injected into the bloodstream through the veins. Though some people may prefer injection to swallow pills, there is a lot of pain associated with this treatment process. The pain may cause anxiety to your body, which will result in discomfort in your stomach. In most cases, stomach discomfort will cause nausea as the stomach to tries to stabilize.
The other cause of nausea is the food taken during the cancer treatment. There are those foods that we like most and even take them nearly every day. However, some of these foods cause nausea. Doctors will advise against taking greasy foods and spiced food that make you feel unease. Always follow the cancer diet given to you by your doctor.
Ways to Manage Nausea for Cancer Treatment
The first way and which is more preferred is taking the anti-nausea medicine. But first, remember to talk to your doctor about the effects of the medication you are undertaking. Let him or her know that the medicine you are using is causing nausea. The doctor will examine the side effects and provide you with anti-nausea drugs if possible. The drugs will help prevent vomiting caused by cancer medication. Anti-nausea dose is selective. For some people, it will work while for others, it won’t. If it doesn’t work for you, let your doctor know so that they can look for a substitute dose.
If you are vomiting regularly, drink a lot of water and fluids. It will help replace the water lost during dehydration, and thus your body will remain active even after you vomit. Keep taking a sip of the liquid throughout the day. The choice of fluids you make should be keenly chosen. Avoid spirits, beers, or any fluid that is not in your food diet. Ask your doctor about the type of fluids you need to take or avoid.
During the treatment process, avoid foods that will make you feel sick after taking them. Once you identify any food that affects you either by its smell or being greasy, keep off from them. Ask for foods that make you feel comfortable. Also, remember to consume meals that are at room temperature. It will ensure the taste and the smell of the food remains fresh. When you are undergoing chemotherapy, take a small meal before the treatment.
Consider what works best for you. For some people, they will take a light meal before the treatment. For others, they will completely avoid the food before and immediately take it after the surgery. It’s all about you choosing the most appropriate technique that makes you feel good. However, when making a choice, think about the behavior of your body after the first treatment. Take that as your routine if you don’t suffer from nausea. If it is not favorable for you, go for the alternative way.
If you get nausea out of body anxiety and stress, learn how to relieve the pressure. You can look for a doctor who is willing to listen and feel for you. One of the best ways to relieve stress is by speaking out. Express yourself to your doctor as much as possible. Also, get a compassionate individual who knows the cancer pain to encourage you out. Sometimes healing comes from encouragements.
Cancer treatment itself is painful, but the addition of nausea makes it even worse. Since vomiting can cause severe problems like dehydration, try to identify its causes and choose the most appropriate method of preventing it. Consider the above causes of cancer and ways to manage them. You are guaranteed to get cancer treatment without nausea as a side effect.