Treatment

Home Treatment

The side effects of cancer treatment can be serious. Healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep and exercise may help control your symptoms. Your doctor may also give you medicines to help you with certain side effects.

· Home treatment for nausea or vomiting includes watching for and treating early signs of dehydration. Signs include a dry mouth, sticky saliva, and reduced urine output with dark yellow urine. Eating smaller meals may help. A little bit of ginger candy or ginger tea can help too.

· Home treatment for diarrhea includes resting your stomach and being alert for signs of dehydration. Check with your doctor before using any nonprescription medicines for your diarrhea.

· Home treatment for constipation includes making sure that you drink enough fluids and include fruits, vegetables, and fiber in your diet each day. Don't use a laxative without consulting your doctor.

Other symptoms that can be treated at home include:

· Sleep problems. If you find that you have trouble sleeping, learnways to manage sleep problems, such as having a sleep routine and making sure your bedroom is dark and quiet.

· Fatigue. If you don't have any energy and tire easily, try some tips to help your fatigue. These include getting extra rest, eating a balanced diet, and reducing your stress.

· Urinary problems, which can be caused by both cervical cancer and its treatment. It may help to remove caffeinated drinks from your diet and to establish a schedule of urinating every 3 to 4 hours, whether you feel the need or not.

· Hair loss . Hair loss may be unavoidable. But using mild shampoos and avoiding damaging hair products will reduce irritation of your scalp.

· Stress. Managing stress may include expressing your feelings to others. Learning relaxation techniques may also be helpful. Relaxation techniques, such as meditation, and support groups may help too.

· Pain. Not all forms of cancer treatment cause pain. But if you do have pain, there are many home treatments that can help.
Problems after hysterectomy may include: Pelvic weakness. Kegel exercises can help strengthen the pelvic muscles.
Vaginal dryness. Lubricants, such as Astroglide or K-Y Jelly, may help. Or talk to your doctor about a low-dose vaginal estrogen cream, ring, or tablet.

Pain during sexual intercourse if your vagina was shortened during surgery. Changing positions may help make sex less painful. Talk with your doctor if you have any problems during sex that you think may be related to your surgery.

Other Treatment

Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is used for certain stages of cervical cancer, often along with surgery. Chemotherapy may be given at the same time as radiation treatment (chemoradiation) to improve survival rates. Chemoradiation may be used as the main treatment or after a hysterectomy.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy). Or it may come from radiation material (radioisotopes) in thin plastic tubes inserted through the vagina into the cervical area where the cancer cells are found.
Dealing with side effects of radiation

Radiation may cause many side effects, including diarrhea and irritation of the bladder (radiation cystitis). Home treatment may help relieve some common side effects of cancer treatment.

Your ability to have or enjoy sexual intercourse may also be affected. This is because radiation may cause changes to the cells lining the vagina(mucosa), making intercourse difficult or painful. A series of vaginal dilators, starting with a small one and progressing to a larger size, may be used after radiation therapy. Using the dilators can help by making the vaginal opening larger.

Radiation to treat cervical cancer may thin the bone and increase the risk of fractures in the pelvic area, including hip fractures. You can take steps to prevent thinning of the bone (osteoporosis), such as getting enough calcium and vitamin D. Also, try to prevent falls, which can lead to fractures. For more information, see the topic Osteoporosis.
Clinical trials

Some women who have cervical cancer may be interested in taking part in research studies called clinical trials. Clinical trials are designed to find better ways to treat cancer patients. They are based on the most up-to-date information. Women who don't want standard treatments or are not cured using standard treatments may want to take part in clinical trials. These are ongoing in most parts of the United States and in some other countries for all stages of cervical cancer.
Complementary therapy

People sometimes use complementary therapies along with medical treatment to help relieve symptoms and side effects of cancer treatments. Some of the therapies that may be helpful include:

· Acupuncture. It can relieve pain and may help you deal with nauseaand vomiting from chemotherapy.

· Meditation or yoga. These mind-body treatments relieve stress. They may help you feel better and cope with treatment.

· Light massage (not deep tissue or intense pressure) or biofeedback. These can ease tension.

· Breathing exercises or aromatherapy. They can help you relax and feel less anxious.

These mind-body treatments may help you feel better. They can make it easier to cope with treatment. They also may reduce chronic low back pain, joint pain, headaches, and pain from treatments.

Before you try a complementary therapy, talk to your doctor about the possible value and potential side effects. Let your doctor know if you are already using any of these therapies. They are not meant to take the place of standard medical treatment.

Having cancer can change your life in many ways. For support in managing these changes, see the topic Getting Support When You Have Cancer