Mesothelioma Patient

  

          MesotheliomaTreatment.

A mesothelioma patient is any patient who is suffering from the rare form of cancer known as mesothelioma. This disease is usually caused by either direct or indirect exposure to asbestos and is sometimes known as asbestos disease or asbestos poisoning.

Smoking is not a direct cause of mesothelioma but a combination of smoking and asbestos exposure can increase the likelihood of mesothelioma in the lung area.

Symptoms of mesothelioma can include breathing difficulties and coughing, chest pain and other symptoms such as fever, weight loss and pain in abdomen, neck or head. The symptoms might occur several decades after the exposure to asbestos, and the amount of exposure is not clearly correlated with the likelihood of getting the disease.

Diagnosis of Mesothelioma is difficult because all the symptoms can be caused by other less serious diseases and can be supported by chest X-ray and/or CT scan or MRI and biopsy.

Patients don't usually recover from the disease. Median survival times are usually about nine months from presentation with the five-year survival rate being around ten percent, although occasionally people do survive for more than twenty years after contracting it.

Most patients die within one and a half years of finding out that they have this disease not because the disease is so rapidly progressing but because diagnosis of this particular disease is often only definite during the late stages of the disease.

There are many forms of support for patients, including large amounts of relevant information on the internet, and discussion groups etc. as well as specialist medical centers and other forms of support.
Treatment can be expensive, sometimes totaling close to a million dollars, which is one reason most patients take legal action against the employer who exposed them to asbestos.

Treatment can include combinations radiation and chemo treatment and surgery but radiation therapy alone has proved ineffective.

Legal actions concerning mesothelioma began around 1930 then increased in 1960 when firm data on the link between asbestos and mesothelioma was proven. More than 500,000 asbestos claims have been filed so far.

The amounts received from mesothelioma claims can be considerable and there are specialist asbestos lawyers and attorneys working to help each mesothelioma patient claim as much as possible.

For additional relevant information see our Blog Post Mesothelioma Treatment Options

Emotional Support and Therapy for Mesothelioma Patients

        Therapy for Mesothelioma Patient.

  One of the hardest aspects of dealing with any kind of serious diagnosis is coming to grips with the idea of mortality. No one wants to hear they have a condition that can shorten their life.

The quality of life can still be very good even after a diagnosis such as mesothelioma. Patients who utilize therapy and support programs will have a much easier time with treatments, and the diagnosis itself.

Psychotherapy Approaches
Seeking a licensed psychotherapist will have many benefits for any cancer patient. Psychotherapy consists mostly of talk therapy, and the patient will be encouraged to share any and all feelings they are experiencing. The main benefit is the psychotherapist is able to help the mesothelioma patient deal with feelings of depression and anxiety. Many psychotherapists will also offer counseling services for the whole family. This helps bring the family closer together, and enjoy the time that is left without allowing depression to become overwhelming.

Art and Music Therapies
For those who are more creative, and wish to be able to work through the feelings of depression and despair with a more expressive form of therapy, art or music therapy may be the answer. Art therapy allows the patient to create art. For many people it is easier to express feelings that are ordinarily suppressed if it's done through an artistic medium. An art therapist will combine art with traditional psychotherapy to best benefit the patient.

Music therapy uses the same concept, but has a few differences. Not only is the patient encouraged to express themselves through the use of music, but another line of thought is that certain types of music have different effects on the brain.

The therapist will use the practice of listening to music as a form of meditation, while choosing pieces that can increase emotional bonds, cognitive functions, and alleviate anxiety and depression. Song writing is also used as a form of expression. Psychotherapy is used along with music therapy to help the patient cope.

Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is also used often in more traditional psychotherapy sessions. The idea is that certain scents have different effects on our brain, and can actually change the chemistry slightly. A psychotherapist who uses aromatherapy may have a patient use an oil while discussing emotions to bring a sense of calm. Many patients can help control the symptoms of radiation and chemotherapy, such as nausea and fatigue by using certain oils. Much of aromatherapy is a personalized process, so trial and error isn't uncommon. What works for one patient may not work for another.

Any patient battling a terminal illness will need a good support system. Staying healthy isn't just about treating the mesothelioma. The spirit can be easily damaged, and many terminal patients are fragile. Therapy, in any form, can help this process, and allow the patient to come to terms with the illness without getting stuck in deep depressive modes.