Cancer treatments can at times lead to infections. This can only add on to the pain that the patient is already suffering from. We will now discuss in details how the doctors and the family members can ensure that they take all the required steps in preventing infections during treatment.

When a person is given chemotherapy it is to ensure that the body fights back the cancer cells. This treatment reduces the white blood cells in the body. In chemotherapy if your white blood cells really reduce you have a good chance of catching an infection. Some cases have been registered where the infections became life threatening. If you are the patient who is taking the cancer treatments there are some things that you can do to ensure that you do not catch an infection. These are as follows:

How To Prevent Infection: Few Tips

1. Keep a thermometer handy. As soon as you feel that the temperature is rising check your temperature. If the temperature is around thirty eight degrees centigrade then it means that you definitely have some infection in the body and you must fight the same.

2. Always keep your hands clean. Before you eat wash your hands. Try to keep a sanitizer handy this will ensure that you do not take in any germs.

3. Try to stay away from a person who is having cough and cold. If you do not then you too may catch the infection.

4. Any other symptoms of infection like burning in urination, diarrhea might not be neglected. They must be treated immediately.

If you are a caretaker of the person who took cancer treatment then you must check the following in order to prevent infection during treatment:

1. Ensure that the room where the patient is kept is clean. Cleaning must be done regularly.
2. You must change the bed sheets and the pillow covers regularly. If the patient is using a blanket it must be put in the sun so that the germs are killed.
3. The food that you are preparing for the patient must be done after your hands are washed and clean.
4. Before you touch the patient ensure that you wash your hands.
5. Wash your hands with a good soap after you go to the bathroom or do any activity that may bring you in touch with germs.
6. The bathroom that the cancer patient is using must be washed every day.
7. Try to use Detoll or other anti sceptics to wash the clothes of the patient so that all the germs are washed away.
8. The patient must be given regular bath or sponge as recommended by the doctor. Even a head bath if the doctor has told so. This will ensure that no germs can affect the health of the person.
9. The room where the patient is staying should be free of dust.

   

10. Allow some good sunlight and fresh air to enter the room of the patient so that these natural elements can kill the germs that might cause infection.
11. The water that is given to the patient must be boiled. As water can cause many infections.
12. If you are giving fruits to the patient wash the same well before you give it to them.
13. Always remember that cancer treatment can make the immunity of the patient very weak. If a small infection occurs the patient will not be able to fight it. This is exactly why you have to be extra careful. If you see a rise in temperature does contact the doctor. It might be possible that the patient has got some infection.
14. The symptoms of infection can be many including pain in the neck to a blocked nose. All should be taken seriously before the infection becomes too much to control.
15. You must make the family members aware of the situation. They should not come near the patient if they have some infection in their body.
16. If the patient gets hurt and is bleeding such cases must be treated with outmost care. A wound can be a big source of infection.
17. The care of a person undergoing cancer treatment can be a big task. This is exactly why more than one person is required to take care of the patient.
18. The hospitals must also keep all these points in mind. If you at any point of time feel that the hospital is not taking adequate measures you can report the same to the doctor.
19. You have to be extra careful if the patient is a child or an old man. This is because they already have a weak immune system and can be a little difficult to handle.

These points are to just ensure that you know how sensitive a cancer patient can be to infection. Preventing infections during treatment is extremely vital for a fast recovery. When you are aware of these only then you can take a better care of the patient. These are just simple points that we can easily keep a track on with a little care and attention.

This is just for the time when the treatment is on. As the patient begins to recover slowly the immune system also improves as a result the restrictions reduce with time. There are any cases of infection that were noticed in cancer treatments. This is why we recommend that these points must be treated with extra care and caution.