Chewing and Swallowing Problems During Cancer Treatment

Dietary administration of remedy unintended effects

There may be extra to diet throughout most cancers and most cancers remedy than getting sufficient energy and protein. The meals you select additionally helps you to deal with unintended effects, akin to lack of urge for food, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chewing and swallowing issues, and style modifications.

As every individual’s particular person medical profile and analysis is completely different, so is their response to remedy. Unintended effects could also be extreme, delicate, or absent. Speak along with your most cancers care crew about potential unintended effects of remedy earlier than the remedy begins.

Dietary administration of chewing and swallowing issues

Most cancers therapies goal fast-growing most cancers cells in your physique. Wholesome cells which might be quick rising can be broken. Examples of fast-growing cells embody cells within the mouth, digestive tract, and hair. These could also be affected by most cancers remedy and might trigger issues, akin to your hair falling out, nausea and vomiting, or a metallic style in your mouth. Consuming nicely from the beginning of most cancers remedy has been discovered to assist forestall mouth issues.

Stomatitis (mucositis) is the presence of sores within the mouth brought on by some anticancer medicines. Along with being painful, mouth sores can grow to be contaminated by the various germs that usually stay within the mouth. These could make it exhausting to swallow and chew. Should you develop sores in your mouth, inform your healthcare supplier. You could want medication if the sores grow to be painful or forestall you from consuming. It might be useful to eat small, frequent meals.

These recommendations might assist when you have mouth issues:

• Eat the next mushy, soothing meals (chilly or at room temperature), and puree cooked meals in a blender to make them smoother and simpler to eat:

  
  

• Attempt to steer clear of irritating, acidic meals and juices, alcohol, scorching meals, spicy or salty meals, and tough or coarse meals, akin to:

  
  

• Ask your healthcare supplier about medication or mouth rinse when you have mouth ache.

• Sit up to eat and drink. Keep sitting up for a number of minutes after ending.

• Ask your healthcare supplier when you ought to see a speech therapist. These professionals may also help you higher handle swallowing and signs like coughing when consuming.

• Strive consuming thicker liquids. They might be simpler to swallow than skinny liquids.

• For mouth dryness:

  • Drink loads of liquids.

  • Ask your healthcare supplier when you can suck on ice chips, ice pops, or sugar-free exhausting sweet. You too can chew sugar-free gum. (Sorbitol, a sugar substitute that’s in lots of sugar-free meals, may cause diarrhea in many individuals. If diarrhea is an issue for you, test the labels of sugar-free meals before you purchase them, and restrict your use of them.)

  • Moisten dry meals with butter, margarine, gravy, sauces, or broth.

  • Soften crisp, dry meals in delicate liquids.

  • Eat mushy and pureed meals.

  • Use lip balm or petroleum jelly in case your lips grow to be dry.

  • Carry a water bottle with you to sip from usually.

  • Ask your healthcare crew in the event that they advocate a mouth rinse. Avoid mouth rinses with alcohol.