Palliative Care - Natural Nausea Relief For Cancer Patients
If you have a parent or loved one who is going through cancer treatments, then palliative care is incredibly important to reduce the stress, anxiety, and physical symptoms of the disease. A palliative care specialist can help to comfort your loved one. However, you may find that nausea is a major concern, even when palliative care is offered to treat the symptom. Antiemetic drugs can be offered to your loved one. You may also need to use more natural approaches to nausea relief after cancer treatments, because it can be difficult to find an antiemetic drug that is truly effective.
Try Some Essential Oils
Essential oils are often used to treat a wide variety of symptoms. If you want to help your loved one with nausea, then peppermint and lavender can be quite helpful. Peppermint has long been used to settle an upset stomach, because it can both calm and numb the body. It also contains ingredients like methyl salicylate and menthol that stop the spasms of the stomach and intestinal tract. Peppermint calms the muscles that can cause the stomach to feel upset, and it also helps the body release bile. This assists the digestive system with the breakdown of foods so the food moves down the intestinal tract and your loved one can start to feel better.
Lavender is also helpful in calming the body and reducing stress that may contribute to the nausea your loved one feels. The oil can reduce pain symptoms as well, and this can make the digestive system feel better.
If you want to use peppermint and lavender oils to reduce nausea, then you will need to mix the oils together with a carrier oil. Essential oils can be quite strong when used alone, and this can cause a burning sensation across the skin. Place about 8 to 10 drops of lavender and 4 to 5 drops of peppermint in a small container. Add about one-quarter of a cup of the carrier oil to the container. You can use coconut, jojoba, almond, grapeseed, or common olive oil.
Make sure to mix the oil up and place a small amount under the nose when your loved one starts to feel nauseous. You can also use the oil to give your family member a massage. To reduce nausea, massage the solar plexus where the nerves meet in the abdominal region. This part of the body is located at the base of the rib cage above the naval. Place gentle pressure when completing the massage, so pressure does not cause your loved one to vomit.
Make Some Ginger Tea
If your loved one has been vomiting, then this can lead to dehydration. Unfortunately, dehydration can lead to nausea symptoms. It is wise to keep your loved one as hydrated as possible, and water is a good choice to increase fluid intake. You should also offer tea that can hydrate your family member and reduce nausea at the same time. This is possible if you make ginger tea. Specifically, the natural oils in the ginger help to reduce nausea. These oils include gingerol, zingerone, and shogaol.
You can get the most oils in the ginger tea by creating it yourself. You will need to start with a fresh piece of ginger root. Use a potato peeler or a knife to remove the peel of the ginger. Cut up the ginger into small pieces and use a spoon to gently crush the ginger. Place a pot on the stove and add about 4 or 5 cups of water. Add about one-half cup of the crushed ginger to the water once it starts to boil. Let the water boil for about 5 minutes. Use a strainer to collect the solid bits of ginger and pour the fluid into a container. The tea can be enjoyed immediately. You may want to add a bit of honey or sugar to the tea before serving your loved one though. Ginger tea can be a bit bitter.
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