Pain Treatments

There are a number of different treatments for cancer. The forms of treatment you will be subjected to will largely depend not only on the kind of cancer you have but how far it has advanced. A lot of individuals who are afflicted with cancer will undergo only one treatment. However, the majority of individuals undergo a combination of treatments like surgery with radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. In addition, you may have immunotherapy, hormone therapy or targeted therapy.

Another option for cancer treatment South Yarra involves clinical trials. Clinical trials are basically research that involves the study of people. Being knowledgeable about what they are and the way they work can assist you in deciding if participating in a trial is a feasible option for you.

If you or a loved one are afflicted with cancer and need to have the disease treated, there are a lot of things for you to think about and learn; as such, having feelings of being overwhelmed and confused are quite normal. However, having a consultation with a specialist and gaining in-depth knowledge about the types of treatment methods available, including clinical trials, can assist you in making a decision that you will feel good about. Below are some of the methods currently available in South Yarra to treat cancer:

• Radiation Therapy

This type of cancer treatment involves the use of high doses of radiation to shrink tumors and destroy cancer cells.

• Surgery

When surgery is used as a treatment for cancer, the procedure involves the surgeon going into the afflicted area or areas of the body and ridding it of the disease.

• Immunotherapy

This type of treatment is intended to assist your immune system in fighting the disease.

• Chemotherapy

With chemotherapy, cancer is treated through the use of drugs that are designed to kill the cancer cells.

• Hormone Therapy

This type of cancer treatment is meant to slow or stop the growth of prostate and breast cancers that are known for using hormones to grow.

• Targeted Therapy

As the name suggests, this type of cancer treatment South Yarra targets the alterations in cancer cells that assist them in growing, dividing and spreading.

• Precision Medicine

This treatment method helps doctors in selecting treatments that are highly likely to assist patients according to a genetic understanding of the disease.

• Stem Cell Transplant

This type of cell transplants are carried out to restore blood-forming stem cells in patients afflicted with cancer; particularly the ones have had their cells destroyed by extremely high doses of radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

Over the past few years, physiotherapy has proven to be elemental in addressing several issues concerning the well-being of women. Undoubtedly, women have several, unique psychological and physical attributes whose solution and treatment require unique methods. This is the core reason the specialty field was developed and has helped countless women adapt to several stages in their lives.

Areas Addressed by Women’s Health Physiotherapy

The APA physiotherapy seeks to address four major issues in woman’s health:

Pelvic floor

The pelvic floor consists of muscles that hold the pelvic organs and forms passages for birth and excretion. The pelvic floor is vulnerable to problems resulting from weak or tight muscles. Consequently, you may experience urination inconsistencies, difficulties in bowel movement, back pains, and painful bowel movements among others. Through manual therapy, relaxation, and breathing techniques, physiotherapy can help alleviate pelvic floor issues.

Pregnancy Problems

Hormonal imbalances lead to varied difficulties in pregnant women, including urinary incontinence, abdominal muscle weakness, pelvic girdle pain, and others. Physiotherapy uses interventions such as relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, manual therapy, and abdominal muscle exercise to relieve the issues.

Post-natal issues

Your body undergoes several changes after giving birth, and physiotherapy is essential to the resultant problems to prevent future health issues. Additionally, childbirth may result in perineal tears and pelvic floor trauma. The pudendal nerve can also be damaged, a situation that renders the pelvic floor dysfunctional. Physio seeks to assess the problems emanating from childbirth and consequently, device physiotherapeutic techniques to treat the conditions.

Old Age Matters

Undeniably, aging brings in significant body changes in women. Additionally, the immune system becomes weak, and the body metabolism decreases. Fortunately, top APA physiotherapy services in Australia can help alleviate the mentioned aging effects through recreational activity, exercise prescription, health promotion, manual therapy, and other methods.

What to Expect During Your First Appointment

There are no surprises when seeking women’s health physio in Australia for the first time. First, the doctor will want to know about your medical history, and he or she may need medical documents for further evaluation. What follows is a physical examination of your spine, pelvic region, and abdominal muscles. Additionally, internal examination of the pelvic muscles and connective tissue is necessary to assess scarring, tenderness, muscle tone, neural sensitivity, and prolapse. Eventually, the therapist will develop a treatment plan for you, depending on his or her findings.

Women’s health physiotherapy can help address various health issues that occur in the life cycles of a woman. The field seeks to address pregnancy, postnatal, pelvic floor, and aging problems. Expect evaluation, physical and internal assessment, and development of treatment plan when seeking women physio services for the first time.

Neuropathic pain is often described as a burning sensation or a feeling of numbness accompanied by pins and needles. No matter what kind of nerve pain you experience, there is no doubt about it – nerve damage is a painful condition that can lead to depression, discomfort and trouble with mobility. Even if you have tried several nerve pain treatments to no avail, new products come on the market every day and there are a well of already available methods as well as medications that can greatly improve pain.

Gabapentin

Gabapentin is a drug that provides your body with more of a chemical that it already produces naturally. The main usage of gabapentin is cited for those who suffer with seizures such as epilepsy. However, this drug is also a vitally important drug for those who live with nerve pain. The drug can be taken up to three times a day in doses directed by your doctor. If your nerve pain is caused by a multiple sclerosis diagnosis, it can also help with spasticity if you are fearful of using muscle relaxants which can become addictive. Gabapentin is not considered habit forming.

Physical Therapy

Neuropathic pain can leave you not wanting to move around as much as before… but the less that you move the more heightened pain can become. A physical therapist can use techniques like stretching, massage and training to make moving easier. Many people see a vast improvement in their pain after beginning treatment and can use the techniques they learned while at therapy at home as well.

TENS Unit

A TENS unit is a device that sends tiny electrical impulses to areas of pain. This is both safe and effective, transported by electrodes – the same you might see while receiving an EKG test. Do not be shied away from this small but mighty pain management powerhouse… the electrical impulses are entirely painless.

Hot and Cold Therapy

When medications are not an option or you need relief prior to receiving a prescription. Alternating hot and cold compresses can provide instant relief. While not as powerful as medications, these methods can help you relax and enjoy some downtime. Some find heat to be more beneficial and others prefer cold. However, you should always test the temperature of each before using on a portion of your body that does not have nerve issues. It may be difficult to determine temperatures that are too hot or too cold on nerves that are damaged. Testing beforehand can protect against burns and frostbite.

This is only a short list of basic nerve pain treatments. Your doctor will have several ideas on how to make your condition more manageable. From diabetes to injuries as well as MS and other neurological disorders, remember there are many ways to ease nerve pain and while it may take time to discover the one that works for you, you will get there with a little patience and support from your doctor.