Palliative Care

Conditions Treated

• •Cancer Pain Management — Comprehensive pain control for cancer patients using WHO pain ladder — from paracetamol to opioids. No one should suffer from uncontrolled cancer pain.
• •Breathlessness in Advanced Disease — Managing the sensation of breathlessness in terminal cancer, COPD, heart failure, and other advanced diseases.
• •Nausea and Vomiting in Advanced Disease — Persistent nausea from cancer, chemotherapy, bowel obstruction, or medications affecting quality of life.
• •End-of-Life Care — Compassionate care in the final days to weeks of life, focusing on comfort, dignity, and family support.
• •Psychological Distress in Serious Illness — Depression, anxiety, existential distress, and grief in patients facing life-limiting illness and their families.

Health Tips

• •Ask about palliative care early — don't wait until end-stage
• •Communicate openly about pain and symptoms
• •Discuss advance care planning with family
• •Accept support — from professionals, family, and support groups

How to Prepare for Your Visit

• •Bring all medical records — diagnosis, treatment history, current medications, and imaging
• •List all symptoms — pain, breathlessness, nausea, sleep, appetite, mood — rate each on a 0-10 scale
• •Identify what matters most to the patient — comfort, being at home, seeing loved ones, spiritual needs
• •Discuss advance care planning with family before the appointment — what level of intervention does the patient want
• •Be honest about pain and symptoms — underreporting leads to undertreatment
• •Discuss goals of care — is the focus comfort, life extension, or both
• •Ask about home palliative care services and hospice options in your city
• •Discuss financial concerns — many palliative medications and services are available free or at low cost through government programmes
• •Give medications on schedule — particularly pain medications. Don't wait for pain to become severe
• •Call the palliative care team for any new or worsening symptoms — don't wait for the next appointment
• •Take care of yourself as a caregiver — burnout is real. Accept help from others
• •Discuss with family — ensure everyone understands and respects the patient's care preferences

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

• •Can my pain be controlled better?
• •Is morphine safe? Will it cause addiction?
• •Can palliative care be provided alongside curative treatment?
• •What should we expect in the coming weeks?
• •Can we receive palliative care at home?
• •How can we support our family member emotionally?

When to See a Specialist

Palliative Care specialists focus on relieving suffering and improving quality of life for patients with serious illnesses, alongside curative treatment.

• •Severe pain not controlled by standard treatment
• •Advanced cancer — symptom management
• •End-stage organ failure — comfort care
• •Breathlessness in advanced disease
• •Need for emotional and spiritual support during serious illness
• •Family needing guidance on care decisions

Palliative care is NOT giving up — it can be provided alongside curative treatment from the time of diagnosis.