Palliative Care is a broad, interdisciplinary approach to optimizing the quality of life and also has mitigating suffering among individuals with life-threatening, complex illness. In the medical literature, several common definitions of palliative care appear. These include use of medicinal interventions aimed at relieving symptoms; prevention of secondary complications and lengthening the survival period of patients with terminal illness; use of pain management including non-pharmacological methods and communication strategies for pain control; and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine. However, from the perspective of patients and families as well as health care providers, these approaches differ in many ways. Understanding these distinctions can help point the way to improvements in this oftentimes complicated and often misunderstood form of care.
The most commonly known benefit of palliative care, as illustrated by its traditional definition, is pain relief for those suffering from serious illnesses such as cancer and leukemia. This relief may be through administration of specific drugs or through the use of different therapeutic techniques. For some patients and their families, pain management is achieved through the use of prescription medications, either in conjunction with therapy or on their own accord. Other family members and patients choose not to take prescription medications or pursue other pain management approaches, thereby allowing them to focus on strengthening their immune systems and combating the illnesses that they face. A third group of patients and family members who embrace more holistic approaches may rely more on non-pharmacological techniques such as meditation and yoga, which also allow them to manage pain and improve their overall well-being.
end of life care
Although these practices may provide relief for patients with cancer, it is important to note that not all cancer patients and those who pursue such practices should do so. In fact, some practitioners of this approach argue that it is not intended to treat the disease or to cure it but to alleviate the symptoms that characterize cancer while allowing the patient to continue with his or her life. This group is particularly opposed to using pharmaceutical interventions to treat cancer and pain because these drugs have both side effects and can be harmful to the overall health of a patient. Side effects of chemotherapy and radiation are well-known, particularly side effects in which cancer cells form additional tumors and the spread of cancerous tissues to other areas of the body. Alternative approaches to managing pain and other symptoms are also recommended by those who are called palliative care professionals.