Victims of mesothelioma face a number of challenging symptoms that can make an already difficult process even more stressful. Fortunately, good quality palliative care may help relieve or at least manage many of these symptoms. Palliative care is care designed to make patients as comfortable as possible.

Dealing with pain is often an unfortunate part of mesothelioma. However, pain can sometimes be successfully managed with pharmacological therapy that follows the World Health Organization’s pain ladder, a stepped approach to pain medication that is based on the severity of pain and the source of the pain. A good pain management plan is an important part of mesothelioma therapy and should be designed by a pain management specialist.

Shortness of breath and fatigue are other common symptoms that can sometimes be helped through a variety of treatments. Medications and/or oxygen are sometimes used to treat shortness of breath. Relaxation, changes in position can also sometimes make a difference. Nutrition, stress management, or exercise may help alleviate fatigue, depending on the reasons behind the fatigue.

Mesothelioma patients sometimes develop dry mouth as a result of dehydration, medication or treatment side effects, depression, anxiety or dehydration. Whatever the cause, dry mouth can be relieved in a number of ways. When appropriate, increasing fluids can help. But sometimes, dry mouth persists. In that case, sucking on ice chips or Vitamin C tablets, chewing gum, or using an air humidifier can all help alleviate a dry mouth.

Loss of appetite is another common problem with patients suffering from mesothelioma. Nutrition is a big part of a mesothelioma patient’s overall well being. Loss of appetite can result in loss of weight, which can complicate and exacerbate some symptoms. Eating smaller, more frequent meals that are high in calories and protein can help maintain a patient’s balanced nutritional Intake.

Cancer patients can also encounter problems with their skin. Itchy or dry skin, rashes, sores and ulcers can all be part of a cancer patient’s reality. Drinking plenty of water and using adequate moisturizers can help dry skin. A bath filled with baking soda can sometimes reduce itching. Clean sheets and towels free from heavy detergents will help as well.

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may want to spend some time reading our mesothelioma blog and mesothelioma articles. Being informed is one of the best strategies for planning quality palliative care.

As a caregiver for a loved one who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you have taken on a role that is as generous and loving as it is challenging. When you step into this role, some advanced preparation can be of great help to both you and your loved one.

Many aspects of the care you will provide may have nothing to do with physical care. Patients will likely want to see family and loved ones, especially around important events or holidays, and you may be called upon to schedule and organize these essential visits. You may also find yourself providing encouragement and suggestions to help your loved one cope, stay busy or engage in a meaningful activity. For example, it may greatly help patients to take on a project, such as a scrapbook or diary, to help relieve stress and anxiety.

There will likely be many daily routines that require your assistance. While keeping daily routines can help your loved one’s spirits remain high, it is easy for caregivers to let their encouragement overshadow their awareness of how their loved one is really feeling. For example, while nutrition is important to patient care, it’s also important to be sensitive to the fact that the patient may at times feel discouraged or not well enough to eat. If trying to motivate someone to eat becomes a struggle, you could try smaller meals, or simply offering food again later.

If you are not already familiar with mesothelioma causes and symptoms, you might want to conduct research or talk to health professionals to better understand what your loved one is going through. Take a look at our mesothelioma articles and our mesothelioma blog

for important information and stories that could help you gain further understanding and knowledge. The more you understand the disease and know what to expect, the better you will assist your loved one. You may also consider consulting the patient’s doctors to find out what activities your loved one can participate in and recommendations about the duration and intensity of activities. This way, if your loved one feels up to trying something outside of their regular daily activities, you will be better prepared for how to respond. For more information about mesothelioma victim’s rights, contact us online or by phone at 800-723-3216.

We here at the Mesothelioma & Asbestos Information Exchange have a useful Mesothelioma and Asbestos FAQ.  It can be a useful resource for those looking to learn more about this formerly widely used mineral and the devastating disease that is linked to it.  We’ll go through some of the more salient points of the FAQ here.

First, we’ll discuss what asbestos actually is.  Asbestos is a mineral found naturally in a fiber-like form.  This fibrous form that is assumes lends some important (and practical) properties to it.  These are its extremely low density and its poor conduction ability.  These properties are due to the numerous air pockets that are found in between the feathery fibers of asbestos, and they make it an excellent fire-retardant and insulation material.  An additional industrial application of asbestos is using it to improve the tensile strength of concrete by mixing it in with the construction material.

Asbestos is found all over the world as a metamorphic mineral.  For years, Canada was the leading producer of asbestos; in recent years, Canada has seen competition rise from mines located in South Africa, China, Australia, and Russia.

Asbestos has a proven and dangerous link with a rare but deadly form of cancer known as mesothelioma.  We’ve chronicled the link on our mesothelioma blog before, but we’ll run through it again here.  Since asbestos is so lightweight, when it becomes disturbed, it easily breaks into microscopically small particles that can be readily inhaled or ingested.  Alternately, these particles can settle on clothing or into water, where they can be subsequently inhaled or ingested by someone else not even directly involved with handling the mineral.

Once asbestos becomes inhaled, it can embed itself in the pleural lining of the lungs.  At this pint, there’s a latency period lasting anywhere from 10 to 50 years, during which no symptoms of mesothelioma manifest themselves.  However, once those symptoms do show up, the disease moves rapidly.  Victims suffering from mesothelioma often have life expectancies measured in months.