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Do I Need Palliative Care? 

Are you uncertain if palliative care is the right solution for you? Because palliative care is intended to focus on addressing the symptoms and side effects rather than curative treatments, it is appropriate for a wide variety of treatment needs.

When To Seek Palliative Care

There are a variety of illnesses where palliative care is frequently the best solution to help patients manage pain and discomfort, including:

  • Cancer
  • Kidney & Liver Failure
  • Dementia
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Diabetes
  • Multiple Sclerosis  
  • Cystic Fibrosis
  • Sickle Cell Anemia

In addition to specific illnesses, palliative care can be used to treat some common symptoms that inhibit your quality of life, whether they are caused by an illness, medication, or the root cause is unknown. Some of the symptoms palliative care traditionally focuses on include:

  • Anxiety
  • Fatigue
  • Poor Appetite
  • Drowsiness
  • Nausea
  • Shortness of Breath
  • Depression
  • Frequent Pain or Discomfort

If you would like to perform a self-evaluation to determine if you need palliative care treatment, you can download the standard assessmen form, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (revised version), or ESAS-r, provided courtesy of Alberta Health Services and Covenant Health. Once you have filled out this form, request a consultation to learn more about how Palliative Care Austin can help you address your health needs.