will assess your strength, mobility, and cognitive ability before you start treatment.
They can even recommend ways you can prepare for treatment so that it’s not as jarring. This initial examination provides information that the doctors can use to see how treatment affects you.
The Specialists You May Work With
Given how many problems cancer rehabilitation is designed to address, it shouldn’t be surprising to find out that you would work with multiple specialists. For example, an oncology physical therapist helps with your mobility and pain management. Speech language pathologists specialize in speech and swallowing disorders so they can help you if you’re having trouble getting your food down. Physiatrists deal with pain management while lymphedema therapists can address the fluid build-up in your body that causes swelling. You can also meet with a dietitian who can recommend the right diet for you.
Knowing that you might see different specialists may seem overwhelming but you can handle that by asking pointed questions during your first visit. While discussing your symptoms, you can ask which specialists they would recommend for you. You can also ask if there are certain specialists you should see more frequently or if you should start with certain people before incorporating others at a later date.
Though there may be variations in their severity, all cancer treatments have side effects. It’s good to know that getting involved with cancer rehabilitation can help. Before you sign up for it, however, you should talk to your doctor about whether or not it’s right for you.