Good Healthcare Requires Treatment of Your Mind, Body, and Soul

Side Effects Of Radiation Therapy

13 June 2017 by Hugh Larson

After chemotherapy and other surgeries, there is a chance that there are some cancer cells that have made it through. After going through so much, it is important to ensure that all cancer cells have been destroyed, and that it won't come back. One of the best ways to do this is to undergo radiation therapy. Many people get radiotherapy and chemotherapy confused. Unlike chemotherapy, radiation therapy is relatively easy to handle, and the side effects are generally only found in the treated area. Here are a few different aspects of radiotherapy that you should know before going through the therapy.

Your Skin

One of the most noticeable side effects to radiotherapy is going to be your skin. Many people think that the skin over the entire body is affected, but this is simply not true. The only part of your skin that will be affected is the area in which the radiotherapy covers. You are going to have something that feels very similar to sunburn. You might notice redness and itching. You may experience these side effects for a few weeks after the radiation therapy, but do not worry because over time the redness and soreness will go away.

Fatigue

Another very common side effect of radiation therapy is fatigue. You are very likely to find yourself with the desire to do normal activities, but without the energy that is required to actually accomplish the task. Your sleep schedule may be turned upside down as you may have an insatiable desire to sleep. Do not be alarmed if you are feeling like you need to sleep more often than normal. It is important that you body is able to recover properly. Remember what your body has endured over the past few months. It is a good idea to take it easy and allow your body to heal.

Your Heart

Another side effect to radiation therapy is the increased possibility of having heart problems. It does need to be mentioned that there are many different causes of heart problems. For example, if you smoke or are overweight, then you are very likely to have heart problems. However, it is possible that you start to feel like you have an irregular heartbeat, or you may start to feel dizzy more often. You may also experience swelling in your lower extremities. If these occur, make sure that you go to the hospital with haste.  

Share

Search