People who are seriously ill, often incurably so, face many unpleasant discomforts, such as pain, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, anorexia, diarrhoea and constipation. How to cope with them? Here is some advice.
Pain is a subjective feeling, but it always causes negative sensations. Nowadays, many painkillers are available. Painkillers can be administered orally in the form of tablets, capsules, dragees, granules or in liquid form, e.g. gels, emulsions, solutions, drops. They may also be administered by the rectal route (in the form of suppositories or infusions) or by the transdermal system, i.e. transdermally, in which case they may be in the form of patches. Another route of administration is intravenous, subcutaneous or intramuscular.
Shortness of breath is difficulty in breathing. They can be resting or exertional in nature. A patient suffering from dyspnoea should have access to an oxygen concentrator, remember to cool the patient's face with a fan, place the patient in a spacious and well-ventilated room. The correct position of the patient is also important: high or semi-high.
Nausea and vomiting can have many causes.
If they occur, it is important to remember:
- eating small portions of food,
- avoiding strong and unpleasant smelling food,
- ensuring an attractive appearance of food.
Particular attention should also be paid to the colour of the vomit, the frequency of vomiting, the circumstances of vomiting, e.g. after eating a meal, after administering medication. Bloody vomit indicates the presence of fresh blood in the vomit, while foul-smelling vomit indicates bleeding from the oesophagus, stomach or duodenum. In such cases, a doctor should be contacted immediately.
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Often severe illnesses are accompanied by anorexia nervosa. This is troublesome as it is very debilitating to the body and makes it difficult to administer many medications. Many causes of anorexia nervosa are listed. How to deal with them? The consistency of meals should be adapted to the patient's capabilities, mouth changes should be relieved with painkillers 30 minutes before meals, portions should be small. It is advisable to go out for a walk before meals, as minimal physical activity increases appetite. High-energy and high-protein preparations can be added to meals, healthy drinks should be given to the patient, i.e. fresh juices, fruit purees, yoghurt smoothies.
