Did the Psychological Support Affect the Pain of Cancer Patients and Cure - Essay Example

Psychological support effect on Pain in Cancer Patients Psychological support on pain in cancer patients Introduction Cancer has been described as a chronic permanent disease and it occurs because of a non-reversible pathological alteration. The patients may require time for rehabilitation and supervision from the medical staff. In many cases, cancer leaves the patients with some form of disabilities and nonreversible pathological alterations. The treatment of some type of cancer, for example prostate caner usually goes on for many months. After treatment, the surviving patients usually require intensive care from medical specialists so that they can manage their long-term effects of the disease and its treatment. Pain in cancer patients Cancer patients encounter pain while undergoing their treatment and this may affect them psychologically. Pain is noted to occur to an estimate of 70% of the patients who suffer from advanced cancer. However, research has concluded that there are measures, which can be taken to ensure that the patients manage their pain after treatment. In such cases, the patients are identified as the appraisers of their pain and they are usually encouraged to embark on an active role so that they can effectively manage their pain. A doctor is important in the scenario since they spend time educating the patients and their families on effective measures of minimizing the pain. Cancer patients encounter pain and it prevails based on the emotional context in which it is carried on, Spiegel and Classen (2008). In such cases that involve pain, psychological support is important for individuals especially if the diseases are life threatening. The psychological distress of cancer patients persists based on the clinical courses of illness such as symptom severity, and poor diagnosis, which usually have an effect of psychological welfare. However, the identification of the disease and its treatment are the major steps in the management of psychological distress of the cancer patients. Psychological support is essential on individuals who encounter psychological stress such as cancer patients. Psychological stress happens when individuals suffer from mental and emotional pressure from different diseases. Psychological stress can be because of the daily activities and upset from health conditions. When individuals feel that they cannot manage the effects of cancer, they become distressed. This has been noted to decrease the life span of the cancer patients. In Rosenbaum (2001), it is evident that distress can occur because of poor clinical outcomes. The clinical guidelines enable the doctors to asses the amount of distress on the patients and help them manage it. Cancer pain is controlled using some oral drugs, which give an effective evaluation of pain and analgesics. Effects of psychological support on pain in cancer patients Individuals suffering from cancer usually undergo emotional and social effects of the disease. Some patients indulge in risky behaviors such as drinking and smoking to manage their stress. However, it has been noted that cancer patients who utilize effective practices such as relaxation to deal with stress, tend to have minimal levels of depression and anxiety. Based on Watson and Greer (2006), there is minimal evidence supporting the motion that successful management of psychological stress improves the aspect of cancer survival. According to experiments, it is notable that psychological stress has an effect on tumor ability and it enables it to grow and spread. An example is a case where women suffering from breast cancer were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. They claimed that using beta-blockers enabled them to endure cancer treatment without relapsing. The psychological support enables patients to learn on how to manage their psychological stress. These supports usually minimize the levels of depression, anxiety and cancer symptoms from the patients. The patients are supposed to relax and undergo counseling therapies, McGinn and Haylock (2003). They should also attend social support groups and receive medications for depression. According to doctor’s reports, all patients suffering from cancer are supposed to be screened for distress when they begin their treatment. The improvement of biomedical care for cancer is supposed to be improved to offer high quality care for both psychological and social effects of cancer. According to many cancer survivors, the cancer care providers fail to understand their psychological requirements. They also fail to take note of depression and other stress symptoms meaning that they did not recognize psychosocial support as an important aspect of quality cancer care. Patients suffering from cancer and their families are expected to endure the stress that occurs because of physical treatments for the illnesses and health impairment that results. These effects usually result to the cancer patients suffering from emotional distress and mental health issues. They may eventually result to social inabilities and interaction with others. The effects increase in cases where there is psychological and social stress that triggers cancer. The effect of cancer treatment has been influenced through physical and the development age of the patients. In Delbrück (2007), it is noted that an estimate of 60% of people suffering from cancer are aged between 65 years and above. Among the patients, the old individuals living with cancer have high levels of heterogeneity. Adults are at a higher risk of contracting cancer compared to the younger children. Older adults require psychosocial activities, which is different among young adults. This means that older individuals suffering from cancer require more psychosocial services. It ensures that they have a way of managing physical pain and distress that occur because of cancer and its treatment. Research indicates that psychological support assists patients suffering from cancer to enhance their psychological welfare. It also enables them to cope with the side effects of cancer and its treatment. The use of CBT, psycho-education and other therapies has been beneficial to the patients, Senn et al. (2008). Psychological support has been noted to be effective in the minimization of distress in cancer patients. Issues such as depression, physical functioning and anxiety is common among the cancer survivors and through psychological support, these effects have declined. In Kearney and Richardson (2006), through psychological intervention, vomiting and nausea can be controlled among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The intervention enhances diverse behavioral methods that minimize anxiety and distress that occurs because of continuous treatment to the patients. Although this minimizes pain that results from acute treatment of the patient, these methods are not usually effective. However, psychological support is important in the care of cancer patients undergoing cancer treatment. The treatment of cancer has become common over the past couple of years. This has resulted to the development of improved measures of managing pain, nausea, and vomiting which are the major side effects of the treatment. Psychological support offers the development of non-pharmacologic methods, which ensures that cancer patients get along with the medical staff and other patients, Tadman and Roberts (2007). PICO Strategy Based on the PICO strategy, we identify the problem in this case as the effect of the psychological support on the pain on cancer patients. Based on the aspects of cancer management, cancer results to emotional and psychological challenges of individuals. This means that there are effective measures that have been initiated to cope with pain encountered by the cancer patients. The preferred intervention involves patients undergoing diagnostic tests and therapies with an aim of ascertaining which treatment is suitable for their pain. This means that the medical staff can make decisions based on different aspects such as the treatment of the side effects that develop with the administration of medication. On the outcome, the doctors effectively identify the treatment that is effective to the patient’s condition. Problem Intervention Comparison Outcome Main keyword Effect of psychological support effect on pain in cancer patients Performance of diagnostic tests on the patients and involvement in chemotherapy Chemotherapies Improved management of pain on cancer patients Synonym Psychological support and cancer Chemotherapy and medication According to Devita et al. (2011), Cancer has an effect of hindering the normal functioning of a patient’s body, it also affects the social interactions, and life plans. Patients usually fear encountering the changes, although their perception changes after they manage to adapt to their diagnosis. According to medical reports, it is normal for patients to encounter grief and depression. However, the patients are advised to seek medical consultation incase the symptoms become prevalent. According to cancer patients, they describe the diagnosis of the disease to be devastating compared to other palliative diseases, Fillingim (2005). When individuals are first diagnosed with caner, they encounter challenges since they normal functioning is disordered and they have fear. To cope with such situations, medical staff educates the patients on their condition and give them treatment options. It is a difficult task to many patients since some feel that their psychological and social comfort is altered. Conclusion In conclusion, we note that pain is the major concern of patients suffering from cancer diagnosis. Pain is the major symptom that affects patients and it alters the quality of their lives and those close to them. Cancer pain among the patients tends to be sensory and emotional since it damages tissues on the human body, Barakat (2000). According to recent research, psychological support has minimal effect on severity and intrusion. However, psychological support is supposed to be part of the approaches utilized in pain management among the patients suffering from cancer. According to analysis, it is notable that cancer patients who receive psychological support have minimal cases of cancer recurrence and death compared to individuals who fail to receive the support. The effect on cancer patient survival is the main reason why patients receive anti-cancer treatment and this improves their health and well-being, Ricks (2005). Majority of the cancer patients usually prefer psychological support since they anticipate for it to cure the disease or improve their recovery. However, despite the patient’s expectations only a few tend are moderately satisfied by the psychological support therapy. However, these therapies enable the cancer patients to minimize the side effects of cancer treatment and it enhances the patient’s immune purpose. Although various challenges face psychological support, cancer patients require knowledge and ability that will enable them manage their pain. List of References Barakat, R (2000), Handbook of gynecologic oncology. 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