Chemo brain

Chemo brain is a term used to describe the cognitive decline in the patients undergoing cancer treatment. The patient is not able to focus and concentrate and the thought process becomes foggy.

Chemo brain can cause anxiety, frustration and makes it difficult to perform the routine tasks.

Sign and symptoms of chemo brain

  • Not able to concentrate on work
  • Forgetting important dates and events
  • Not able to handle more than one task at once
  • Difficulty in finding a word for common things
  • Slow thought process
  • Misplacing things such as keys, file, book etc
  • Unusually
  • Trouble in remembering a conversation
  • Short term memory loss

In most of the people the mental changes lasts for a short time whereas in some it can last for a long-term. The severity of chemo brain and how long it lasts differs in every patients.

Factors responsible for chemo brain

Causes of chemo brain are certain cancer, cancer treatments, side effects of cancer medication and other factors.

  • Brain cancer
  • Radiation therapy (on brain and spinal cord)
  • Patient’s age when diagnosis is done
  • Amount of radiation you are exposed to
  • Radiation therapy of whole brain
  • Surgery
  • Hormonal changes, hormone therapy
  • Pain due to cancer treatment

Most of the factors cause short term problems and the problem is resolved when the underlying cause is treated.

Chemo brain treatment

Chemo brain can be treated by exercise, meditation and cognitive rehabilitation. Your healthcare provider will help you manage cognitive problems.

In most of the patients the problem is cured in 6-9 months whereas in some patients the symptoms last longer.

How to manage chemo brain in daily routine

Practicing certain small things improves cognitive problems and manages the chemo brain. Some of the ways that can help you in improving mental abilities are –

  • Keep a diary and note the things that you want to do
  • Try doing mental exercise
  • It is important to have adequate sleep
  • Be active and engage yourself in physical activities
  • Avoid consuming alcohol
  • Don’t be stressed about the problems you are having instead accept it and deal with it.
  • Consume a balanced diet

When to consult a doctor

If the signs and symptoms of chemo brain are affecting your daily routine life and the problem persists for a year or more than a year after cancer therapy, it is then required to consult your doctor.

About Mozocare

Mozocare is a medical access platform for hospitals and clinics to assist patients to access the best medical care at affordable prices. It offers medical information, medical treatment, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, laboratory consumables, and other allied services.

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