Oncological rehabilitation is carried out after the chemotherapy completion, in the postoperative period, as well as in patients with the long-lasting remission. Unfortunately, approved by the
international protocols cancer treatment methods often affect simultaneously healthy tissues and
organs.
Oncological rehabilitation is carried out after the chemotherapy completion, in the postoperative period, as well as in patients with the long-lasting remission. Unfortunately, approved by the international protocols cancer treatment methods often affect simultaneously healthy tissues and organs. Oncological rehabilitation in Germany is aimed at eliminating side effects of radiation and medicamentous therapy, allowing patients to improve quality of life and restore usual working and social activities.
Aims of rehabilitation in patients with oncological conditions
Cancer rehabilitation helps to prepare for treatment (in “rehabilitation before care” scheme) or recover more fully and quickly from the negative consequences of cancer therapy. The most important targets include the following.
Coping with the anxiety and stress. Facing the diagnosis, patients go through the negative emotional challenges. They also can feel overburdened with unfamiliar medical information and necessity to make hard decisions. Alleviating cancer-related stress and anxiety influences positively the whole treatment process and improves the overall prognosis.
Coping with changes in the body. Physical impacts of cancer and its treatment may include loss of organs after surgical interventions, scarring, lymphedema and swelling, weight loss or gaining, etc. Boosting self-confidence and working out positive self-image are extremely helpful in fight against cancer. In addition, during the rehabilitation process patients learn how to use prostheses or take care about colostomy and urostomy bag, if necessary.
Improving overall quality of life. First of all, the multidisciplinary medical team helps to manage pain syndrome, preventing related depression, weakness or even fatigue. Also specialists pay attention to memory and cognition issues, like difficulties with memorization and staying focused during fulfilling activities of daily living. Other potential problem is connected with sleep disturbances (insomnia). Restoring healthy sleeping pattern in cancer patients has great importance as well.
Peculiarities of rehabilitation in German hospitals
Availability of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment along with vast practical experience in the recovery of patients with diverse pathologies allow German specialists to formulate the basic principles of successful rehabilitation and follow them strictly:
- Integration – administration of the complementary methods, such as combination of physiotherapy and pharmacotherapy
- Staging – modulation of the treatment intensity, e.g. gradual increase of the physical loading
- Control – continuous medical observation and dynamic assessment of the patient’s condition changes
- Systematic character – therapeutic scheme and duration of therapy are constantly adjusted to the current needs of the patient and changes of his health condition
In addition, German centers always give preference to the multidisciplinary oncological rehabilitation. Medical programs join efforts of specialists in diverse medical fields:
- Oncologists, general practitioners, cardiologists, etc.
- Physiotherapists
- Reflexologists
- Specialists in manual therapy
- Occupational therapists
- Speech therapists
- Psychologists and self-help groups
Principles of the individual program elaboration
When preparing the rehabilitation program for patients with oncology, a doctor considers age, general health condition, physical abilities and motivation of the patient. The diagnosis and previous treatment are considered as well. For example, the preliminary rehabilitation program for young and middle-aged women after mastectomy due to breast cancer includes:
- Physical exercises (restoring the function of the upper limb on the affected side)
- Massage and manual lymphatic drainage
- Applications of healing mud
- Balneotherapy (therapeutic baths with carbon dioxide)
- Relaxation techniques (yoga, meditation)
Physical rehabilitation techniques are always supplemented by psychological help. This may be individual work with a psychologist or work in self-help groups. Psychotherapy helps to manage depression, find positive motivation and accept changes in the body.
Rehabilitation in Germany for the international patients
Oncological rehabilitation in Germany is available for patients from other countries. In order to prepare properly all the necessary documents and receive the treatment invitation, it will be more convenient and reliable to use services of Booking Health. Booking Health is the certified provider of medical tourism that helps patients from 75 countries undergo cancer rehabilitation program in the leading German centers.
Booking Health will assist you in the following issues:
- Choosing the rehabilitation center based on the annual qualification profile
- Direct communication with your attending physician
- Preliminary preparation of the cancer rehabilitation program
- Providing favorable costs for medical services, without additional fees for foreign patients (saving up to 50%)
- Making an appointment and receiving invitation for treatment
- Current monitoring of the medical program at all stages
- Help in purchasing necessary medicines
- Communication with the rehabilitation center after completion of treatment
- Control of the final calculation and returning of unspent funds
- Organization of additional examinations, if necessary
- High-level organizational service: transfer, booking hotels and plane tickets
Leave the request with basic medical and contact information on the website bookinghealth.com, and wait for a call from company specialists within 24 hours.
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