Everything about Terminal Illness totally explained
Terminal illness is a
medical term popularized in the 20th century to describe an active and
malignant disease that can't be cured or adequately treated and that's reasonably expected to result in the
death of the patient. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as
cancer or advanced
heart disease than for
trauma.
A patient who has such an illness may be referred to as a
terminal patient or
terminally ill. Often, a patient is considered to be terminally ill when the life expectancy is estimated to be six months or less, under the assumption that the disease will run its normal course. The six-month standard is arbitrary, and best available estimates of longevity may be incorrect. Consequently, though a given patient may properly be considered terminal, this isn't a guarantee that the patient will die within six months. Similarly, a patient with a slowly progressing disease, such as
AIDS, may not be considered terminally ill because the best estimates of longevity were greater than six months. However this doesn't guarantee that the patient won't die unexpectedly early. In general, physicians slightly overestimate survival so that a person who is expected to live for about six weeks often dies about two weeks sooner than predicted.
Treatment
Some terminally ill patients stop all debilitating treatments to reduce unwanted side effects. Others continue aggressive treatment in the hope of an unexpected success. Still others reject conventional medical treatment and pursue
unproven treatments such as radical dietary modifications. Patients' choices about different treatments may change over time.
Palliative care is normally offered to terminally ill patients, regardless of their overall disease management style, if it seems likely to help manage symptoms such as pain and improve quality of life. Hospice care, which can be provided at home or in a long-term care facility, additionally provides emotional and spiritual support for the patient and loved ones. Some
complementary medicine approaches, such as relaxation therapy,
massage, and
acupuncture may relieve some symptoms and other causes of suffering.
Dying
Patients, healthcare workers, and recently bereaved family members often describe a
good death in terms of effective choices made in a few areas:
- Assurance of effective pain and symptom management
- Education about death and its aftermath, especially as it relates to decision-making
- Completion of any significant goals, such as resolving past conflicts
People who are terminally ill may or may not follow recognizable stages of
grief. For example, a person who finds strength in
denial may never reach a point of acceptance or accommodation and may react negatively to any statement that threatens this
defense mechanism. Other people find comfort in meticulously arranging their financial and legal affairs or planning their
funerals.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Terminal Illness'.
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