Mucite is inflammation of the gastrointestinal lining that is usually associated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy and is one of the most common side effects in cancer treatment patients.
Because mucous membranes line the entire digestive tract from the mouth to the anus, symptoms may vary depending on the most affected site, but mucositis appears in the mouth, called oral mucositis, and causes discomfort such as sores in the mouth, inflammation of the gums., and a lot of pain to eat, for example.
- Depending on the degree of mucita.
- Treatment may involve small changes in food consistency and use of oral anesthetic gels.
- Up to adjustments in cancer treatment and.
- In the most severe cases.
- Hospital admission for drug administration and feeding in the vein.
- According to the oncologist’s advice.
Mucositis symptoms vary depending on the location of the affected gastrointestinal tract, the person’s overall health and the degree of mucita; however, the most common symptoms include:
These symptoms usually appear 5 to 10 days after the start of the chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy cycle, but may last up to 2 months, due to decreased white blood cell counts.
In addition, if the mucid affects the intestine, other signs and symptoms may appear, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, blood in the stool, and pain during the evacuation, for example.
In more severe cases, muciding can also cause a thick white layer, which occurs when fungi grow too much in the mouth.
Mucita is very common in people who undergo cancer treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, but this does not mean that all people undergoing this type of treatment will develop mucita Some factors that seem to increase the risk of developing this side effect include oral hygiene, smoking, drinking little water during the day, having low weight or having any chronic problems, such as kidney disease, diabetes or HIV infection.
According to who, mucositis can be divided into 5 degrees
Identification of the degree of mucita is done by the doctor and helps determine the best type of treatment.
Treatments used to treat a case of mucita may vary depending on symptoms and the degree of inflammation and are usually only used to relieve symptoms, so that the person can eat more easily and feel less discomfort during the day.
An always recommended measure, regardless of the severity of the mucita, is the adoption of appropriate oral hygiene practices, which can only be the use, 2 to 3 times a day, of a mouthwash indicated by the doctor, to disinfect wounds and prevent development.When this is not possible, a homemade solution may be to rinse your mouth with a mixture of warm water with salt, for example.
In addition, it is important to pay attention to the diet, which should contain foods that are easy to chew and do not irritate, so hot and very hard foods such as toast or peanuts should be avoided; very spicy, like pepper; or contain some kind of acid, such as lemon or orange, for example.A good solution is to make purees of certain fruits, for example.
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In cases where these measures aren’t enough, your doctor may also prescribe pain relievers or even an anesthetic gel, which can relieve pain and make your person easier to eat.
In the most severe cases, when the mucid is grade 4, for example, and prevents the person from eating, the doctor may advise internment, so that the person makes medicines directly into the vein, as well as parenteral nutrition, in which nutrients are administered.directly into the bloodstream. Learn more about how parenteral feeding works.