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Exploring Radiation Therapy Treatments Part 2

As promised in our last blog post today we will dive into the concept of radiation therapy. In our last installment we discussed linear accelerators and how the radiation beam is produced and delivered. If you are unfamiliar with LINAC and how radiation is created and delivered look back at our previous blog post before continuing.

Radiation Therapy

The treatment of cancer with radiation is known as radiation therapy. Depending on the type of cancer you have been diagnosed with will depend on the way radiation therapy is delivered to your tumor(s). The most common method of radiation therapy is external beam therapy. This involves delivery of radiation to the cancerous tumors from outside of the body. The radiation is delivered directly to the tumor. A LINAC allows the radiation beam to be shaped in the same shape as the cancerous tumor. Another option of radiation therapy is internal radiation therapy. This treatment involves implanting radiation directly onto the cancerous tumor. The nature of the cancer being treated will determine the type of radiation therapy delivered.

How It Works

Radiation therapy does not distinguish between healthy and cancerous cells although the effect is greater on cancerous cells. The highest dose of radiation possible is delivered to the cancerous tumor in the attempt to kill, break down, and shrink tumor. Smaller doses of radiation can be delivered when palliative care is the goal. The goal of palliative care is to relive symptoms of cancer by shrinking the size of the tumor. Palliative care is focused on increasing the quality of life left for a patient and their family.

Who Performs Radiation Therapy

A radiotherapist/radiation oncologist is what we refer to as a physician specializing in the treatment of cancer. This individual is the person that will plan and oversee your treatment from beginning until the end of treatment. Radiation is delivered by a professional known as a radiation specialist. A team of professionals will work with your specialists to ensure you are receiving the best care possible. Some of the members of this team include: nurses, health care assistants, counselors, and dietitians.

Treatment Plan

Each course of radiation therapy is uniquely designed for the patient that is being treated. A preliminary appointment will be scheduled in which you will discuss your course of treatment. This plan is created by your radiation oncologist and radiation therapist using all the scans and x-rays that have been taken of your cancerous tumor. The skin is colored in to define the location of the tumor and where the treatment will be delivered. If radiation is being delivered to your head a head shell will be created for you that allows for the exact placement of treatment to be marked on the shell vs on your skin. Treating cancer in the mouth or throat will require a dental assessment to determine if dental treatment is needed before radiation can be delivered.

Inpatient vs Outpatient

Patients that can go to and from the hospital easily will most likely be allowed to have outpatient radiation therapy. Your radiation oncologist will tell you if they would prefer your treatment to be inpatient but overall most treatment is done on an outpatient basis.

Additional Tests/Scans During Treatment

Over the course of radiation therapy, patients will be asked to have an occasional blood draw or urinalysis completed. X-rays and other scans can also be required to determine if the radiation is working and if the placement of the treatment is correct based on the shrinking or break down of the tumor.

During Treatment What Should I Avoid

Radiation therapy should be considered an interruption to normal life. Your daily life can be continued as normal if you are feeling emotionally and physically able.

Things to Keep in Mind During Radiation Therapy

Delivery – External radiation therapy is delivered using a machine known as a linear accelerator which was described in detail in our last installment. For radiation to be delivered, you as the patient will be asked to lie on a couch under the LINAC and will need to remain still until the treatment is over.

Pain – Radiation therapy is painless. The radiation can not be felt or seen during delivery.

Radioactivity – Patients always wonder if they will be radioactive after receiving radiation therapy. You can rest assured that you will not be radioactive, there is no possible way for this to occur.

Duration – The duration of treatment will be decided by your radiation oncologist. A course of radiation can be between one treatment to one every day, for one week to six weeks. This will all depend on the type of cancer being treated, the dose of radiation needed, the part of the body being treated, and the aim at therapy whether it is therapeutic or palliative.

Length of Sessions – The length of each radiation session varies between machines and what is planned in your specific treatment plan. Some LINAC operate at a faster rate than others. Some cancerous tumors respond better to longer treatment sessions with smaller doses of radiation. On average patients can expect that their sessions will last between five and fifteen minutes.

Do’s and Don’ts During Treatment

Do’s

Make sure to drink plenty of fluids
Eat a regular, balanced diet
Shower regularly

Don’ts

Avoid alcohol, spicy food, or extreme hot and cold food
Avoid exposure to sunlight on the treated area
Avoid applying creams and deodorant to the treated area

Side Effects

Radiation treatment is localized. Side effects depend on the location of treatment on the body. We should note that side effects are rare however the following can occur:

Nausea
Diarrhea
Frequent Urination
Sore Throat
Localized Hair Loss

Work

Patients can keep on working as usual as long as they are feeling able and their radiation oncologists agree. If your oncologist suggests time off for rest, it is best to listen to them and avoid work.

Once Treatment Is Finished

If you do have any of the above side effects, it can be assumed that they will end after a week or two. The full benefits of radiation can usually be reached after a few weeks. You will follow up with your specialists after four to six weeks of your final radiation treatment. This will all be determined by your radiation therapist.

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Do the Benefits of Glaucoma Surgery Outweigh the Risks?

As with any surgical procedure there are potential risks that need to be weighed against the benefits, Glaucoma is no different. Even the most advanced cases of Glaucoma can be treated, patients need to collaborate with their eye surgeon to ensure the benefits offset the risks.

Glaucoma is a disease that is associated with aging. It is a disease of the eye that causes advanced decline of the optic nerve. The optic nerve which is at the back of the eye carries the visual message from the retina to your brain. Glaucoma is caused by increased pressure within the eye that doesn’t provide an environment for the nerve’s health.

In order to treat Glaucoma, the IOP (intraocular pressure) must be lowered. Lowering the intraocular pressure prevents (or slows) the damage to the optic nerve. Treating Glaucoma begins with the use of medication. If this fails to treat or your eyes do not tolerate the treatment your ophthalmologists will often turn to surgical procedures.

There are two different types of surgery that can be performed to treat Glaucoma. One method is using a miniscule incision into the trabeculectomy. This can be done with or without the ExPRESS microshunt implantation, tube shunt implantation (which is a glaucoma drainage device), and cyclophotocoagulation. Another surgical Glaucoma procedure that is often performed is known as MIGS, or minimally invasive glaucoma surgery. Surgical procedures all have their own unique set of risks and rewards. Before you have any surgical procedure on your eye, especially for the treatment of Glaucoma, it is important to have talk with your surgeon about your specific diagnosis and the benefits and dangers of the specific Glaucoma surgery best for your specific situation.

Glaucoma Surgery Benefits Outweigh the Risks in Most Situations Even in Advanced Cases

There are risks involved with any surgery however, the results with Glaucoma surgery are typically successful. Success in Glaucoma surgery slows the progression of the disease. Success means that the intended eye pressure was achieved. If Glaucoma was left untreated, the loss of your vision is almost guaranteed. Surgery can help to prevent additional vision loss, often improving your vision. This however is temporary as the damage with Glaucoma has already occurred and is permanent. Surgery doesn’t reverse the damage it does however slow down the progression.

Although side effects do occur with Glaucoma, they are rare. Here is a list of occasional side effects that patients have reported:

• Vision Loss

• Bleeding

• Infection

• Eye Pressure

• Scarring

• Cataracts

Rohr Eye & Laser Center offers the most advanced technology available to suit your lifestyle and visual needs. As a leader in laser vision correction and cataract surgery, our goal is to help you achieve the best vision possible without glasses or contact lenses. More information can be found online at https://michiganlasik.com.

Exploring Radiation Therapy Treatments Part 1

Medical facilities have a lot to consider when purchasing new or refurbished medical equipment. It is imperative to offer clients the highest patient care possible while also meeting the goals of the facility. As patients we often don’t consider the rigorous behind the scenes work it takes to bring us the latest and greatest treatments. We just want to know that we are getting the best possible treatment for our unique situation. This is especially true in the treatment of cancer.

Being told you need radiation is perhaps one of the scariest things you will hear. Everyone has their own experience while going through the process to eliminate their cancer however, it seems the “negative” always outshines the positive as we are seeking answers to questions before our own treatment begins. We are here to help. The following installments will give you a solid understanding on the ins and outs of treatment. Information reduces anxiety and at a time when anxiety is at all time high the last thing you want is to have unanswered question in connection with your treatment.

First and foremost, lets talk about the medical equipment that will be used in treating your cancer with radiation therapy. Linear accelerators are large machines that can be quite intimidating. In all honesty, the size of the machine and the impact of the treatment are both extreme and just their sight can create anxiousness. The truth is there is no reason at all to be intimidated by the size or treatment that is provided by linear accelerators, LINAC.

A LINAC is a large piece of medical equipment that uses elevated electromagnetic waves to accelerate electrons into extreme energy in a linear path that travels through an accelerator waveguide. These electrons collide with a heavy metal target and the result of the collision is the production of high energy x-rays (photons) that are delivered to the patient. Linear accelerators have special features that allow these beams to be shaped to conform to the tumors shape. The LINAC treatment angles can be manipulated receiving a variety of angles through the rotating gantry and movable treatment couch.

Linear accelerators, LINAC, continue to evolve. Radiation therapy continues to advance as well. What does this mean for patients?

Increased survival rates, more efficient treatment, fewer side effects, faster results, and more await patients with the advancements of LINAC systems. The radiation therapy process doesn’t have nerve wracking to patients. In our next installment we will dive further into the treatment, side effects, and questions patients often ask when discussing treatment with radiation therapy.

Best Options In Treating Your Homes Water Supply

When it comes to figuring out the what the best option is for treating your homes water supply there is a lot of confusion and conflicting information within the industry. Homeowners will find a variety of solutions when it comes to water treatment including solutions that treat the whole house and point of use options. Although some within the industry like to sell water treatment options as interchangeable it is crucial that homeowners understand that each treatment option is unique and deals with removing different contaminants through difference processes. Each system has distinctive qualities in how they treat the water in your home.

Whole House Water Treatment Solutions

Water Filters and Water Filtration Systems: Water filter systems often use a carbon filtration solution to treat foul odors and improve the taste of water throughout your home. Carbon filters are known for treating a variety of elements in water including: chlorine, chemical tastes & odors, organic chemicals, and pesticides.

Municipal city water sources are known for their overpowering use of chlorine. The installation of a whole house carbon filtration system is often recommended to stabilize drinking water and making bath water less irritating to sensitive skin. Some private wells may also benefit from the installation of a filtration system especially those in more urban settings where organic chemicals are used in treating crops. These chemicals can run off into water sources or soak into the Earth affecting the quality of the water coming from the well.

Water Softeners and Water Conditioners:

Water softeners and conditioners are common and well-known amongst homeowners for removing hard water minerals and preventing limescale build up in appliances and plumbing. Hard minerals such as calcium and magnesium can be found in both city water and private well water. Soft, scale-free water can be delivered throughout the house with the installation of a whole house water softening unit.

Reverse Osmosis:

The biggest misconceptions in water treatment center around reverse osmosis systems. Reverse osmosis systems are commonly mistaken for providing the same treatment to your homes water as water filters and water softeners. RO systems should not be advertised to treat chlorine, foul odors, hard water, or iron removal. Reverse osmosis water treatment systems have a semipermeable membrane that removes 95 to 99% of contaminants from your homes water. However, the membrane contained in RO systems don’t compare to the carbon filtration or water softening units.

In fact, chlorine and hard water can actually taint the RO membrane. In fact, water should be treated before it is sent through a reverse osmosis system. When RO systems are used in conjunction with a water softener and filtration system you will prolong the life span of your RO system thus leaving you with the highest quality drinking water.

The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning have a solution to your homes unique water quality needs including: arsenic, bacteria, chlorine, rotten egg smell, fluoride, hard water, iron, lead, acid, tannins, radon, and more. More information on our water treatment solutions including water softeners and conditioners, water filtration and purification, reverse osmosis drinking water, and iron & odor removal can be found online at https://reynoldswater.com.

The Roofing Experts Speak: Don’t Forget Your Roof When Preparing for Winter

Winter is in full swing here in Southeast Michigan. The harsh weather winter throws at us during these next three months is especially hard on your homes roof. The presence and continual thawing and refreezing of snow and ice tends to create roofing issues that can be quite costly to repair when not addressed properly. Our roofing contractors will address common problems that your roof may face during the winter season.

Condensation

Condensation occurs when warm air meets with cold surfaces. When an attic is not properly insulated condensation can form and lead to mold and mildew that damages the interior structure of the home. In order to prevent condensation homeowners must make sure their attics have proper ventilation. When a roof is inadequately ventilated damage can occur to the roof or roof decking. It will also promote ice dams, all of which will shorten the lifespan of your roof.

Leaks in Flashing

Flashing refers to the metal strips that are on the front edge, corners, and ridges of the roof, around the chimney, and the skylights. Leaking flashing is a common issue of sloped roofs. If flashing is not properly installed or we are experiencing a common Michigan winter storm the flashing can start to pull away which can lead to leaks. To prevent this the flashing on your homes roof should be inspected every six months to avoid this common problem.

High Winds

Although wind storms are not common in Southeast Michigan, they do happen. Strong wind speeds can loosen asphalt shingles. If you start noticing little bits of roofing on the ground it is important to contact the professional roofing contractors at Kearns Brothers to have your roof inspected. The sooner the shingles are replaced the less damage that will occur.

Tree Limbs

One of the biggest benefits of living in Michigan is the number of trees that surround us. Trees are both a blessing and a curse when it involves your home. Large trees add privacy to the landscape but also can cause damage if left untrimmed. Overhanging tree branches can end up damaging the surface of the roof by scraping the protective layer on the shingling. Falling branches can also cause problems for homeowners. In order to protect your homes roof from damage it is important to keep branches trimmed. This also helps to prevent small critters from getting up on the roof.

Ice Dams

Ice dams are a common issue that homeowners in Southeast Michigan have to deal with. An ice dam is when the upper areas on an icy roof start to thaw while the lower perimeter of the roof are frozen over. Snow and ice continue to melt from the warmer sections of the roof and refreeze when they come in contact with the lower section of the roof and gutters, thus creating an ice dam. As the water continues to flow it can pool behind the dam which can cause a leak. Ice dams are impossible to eliminate however, with proper attic insulation and ventilation, they can be curtailed.

As a full-service home improvement contractor servicing all Southeast Michigan, Kearns Brothers, Inc. offers clients a wide range of services to meet their construction needs including: roofing, siding, window, masonry, chimneys, gutters, and insulation services. More information can be found at www.kearnsbrothers.com.

Aluminum Fencing: A Facelift For Your Home and Landscape

Nothing is better than adding to your homes curb appeal while increasing privacy and security. There are a number of aluminum fence and gate styles to choose from which are far more appealing than styles of the past. One of the best elements of aluminum fencing is the ability to be able to choose the grade of fencing from residential to industrial. Thus, making aluminum fencing every bit as strong as you desire with unlimited customization options. Aluminum driveway gates and complimentary aluminum fence panels are a perfect addition to any home.

What Style of Aluminum Fencing Is Right for Your Home?

It is not often that you find yourself shopping for an aluminum fence, is it? The number of styles, features, and options to choose from when customizing your fencing choice. The aluminum fencing of today is far superior to old metal fencing of the past. By choosing the right style, accents, and complimentary features an aluminum driveway gate and fence can completely transform any property.

Aluminum Fence Considerations

Choose an Aluminum Fence That Compliments Your Home, Landscape, and Surrounding Property

There is a wide selection of aluminum fencing and driveway gates online, so it is simple to find a style that will enhance the exterior of your home. iFenceUSA.com offers 18 different styles to choose from, in nine different colors, with hundreds of options to choose from to enhance the look, feel, and usability of your new fence. Aluminum pairs well with all different style of siding including aluminum, stone, brick, stucco, wood, and more. If your desire is to add grandeur, consider the addition of decorative post caps or an ornamental picket style in classic black.

Ornamental Aluminum Fence Accessories

Ornamental aluminum fence designs are ageless and well perceived when installed in both residential and commercial settings. Wrought iron was incredibly popular and the appearance is often sought after in the look and feel of a fence now-a-day. Aluminum fencing can achieve a Victorian era wrought iron fence appearance with ease with the installation of fence embellishments. Achieving this look and feel with wood can be limited and steel can be expensive, aluminum is lightweight, affordable, and easy to install.

Identify Your Priorities

Choosing an aluminum fence style doesn’t have to be difficult. You can narrow down the options by identifying exactly what you want your fence to accomplish. Are you looking for a more decorative fence to spruce up the space or are you looking to add privacy? Is the installation of a driveway gate and perimeter fence needed as a form of security to keep people outside of your space while keeping your kids/pets secure within the property? Once you have identified your priorities you will easily narrow down the perfect style aluminum fence panel.

Aluminum fencing and entry driveway gates not only come in a variety of styles, colors, and offer a homeowner a great deal of functionality. The online, aluminum fencing professionals at iFenceUSA.com can help you through the entire process from measuring, planning, ordering, installation, maintaining, and more.

iFenceUSA is an online distributor of wholesale aluminum fences and gates for residential, resort, commercial, and industrial installation. As an industry leader in maintenance-free aluminum fencing products we have all your aluminum fence and gate needs covered. More information can be found online at https://ifenceusa.com/.

Networking Services Create Continuity Between Household Technologies

Very few of us have ever experienced a time without computers, cell phones, Netflix, and the likes. No longer are we looking for homes with big backyards but instead homes that have access to high speed internet and cable. Our generation experiences things differently than past generations. We desire reliable home networking, we want to be connected at all times. In order to do this, we need methods to distribute audio, video, and data throughout our entire home, as we would the networks in our workplaces. We accomplish this through structured cabling, also known as low-voltage wiring, that is professionally installed to allow the technology within our homes to work together.

Home networking allows our private collection of devices (computers, phones, gaming consoles, printers, and more) to connect to one another through a router or switch thus creating a local network. A network within your home creates an environment where your devices are able to communicate with one another. This leads to endless opportunities such as media streaming, network backup, multi-player gaming, and more.

Without any knowledge on how to network your devices the process of connecting all the pieces together can seem daunting. There are many companies, like Creative Programs and Systems, that offer both residential and commercial networking services, including structured cable installation. There are a number of devices that are at the center of connecting devices within your home or business alike. Routers, switches, and modems are all equally important entities in creating an efficient network.

Modem: A modem is a device that can either be rented through your internet service provider or you can purchase your own. A modem turns their network signal, which runs through a phone line, copper coaxial, or glass fiber, into a normally accepted computer network signal. For some generations this connection came from the modem dialing into a telephone in order to establish a connection. You could hear the connection trying to be established back in the day, today’s connections are silent and operate over a different infrastructure then a landline telephone.
Router: The router is a central point of contact between the devices within your network and the internet connection that is provided by your modem. In some cases, the modem will be built directly into the router. If you have both a separate router and modem, the router will plug into the modem with an ethernet cable plugged into the Wide Area Network, WAN port on the router.
Switch: A switch is used to extend your network. It takes one port and turns it into many. Switches can be purchased in a number of sizes from 4 ports to 24. Most switches that are used in networking homes are unmanaged, which means you just plug them in, and they are already configured correctly. Managed switches are mainly installed in commercial settings where different priorities are assigned depending on their importance.

Not only are there a variety of devices used to centrally connect your home there are different types of network connections.

Ethernet/LAN: The physical cables that plug into your router or switch into a LAN port are known as providing a LAN or Ethernet network. LAN cables can be run up to 100 meters without any lag in performance. The only factor that really limits this connection is messy cabling between doorways and through walls.
Wi-Fi/Wireless LAN: This type of connections functions similar to Ethernet or LAN without the need for cables. Instead the connection occurs through radio waves and doesn’t require messy cables.

There are also several methods of connecting to the internet including: Dial-Up, DSL, Cable, satellite, and USB dongle. A lot of different pieces need to come together to create a flawless system when it comes to creating a home network. The professionals at CPS specialize in both commercial and residential networking including structured cabling installation.

Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, is an all-inclusive IT solutions company offering a variety of services including: managed IT services, IT consulting, residential computer services, custom programming, website design, iphone & android app development, and more. More information can be found at https://cpsmi.com.

Is LASIK Right for You?

Having LASIK performed may mean that you no longer have to wear corrective lenses to properly see. However, how do you know if you are a good candidate or not? What should you consider when you are weighing out your corrective vision options? Obviously if you are tired of having to put contacts in every morning or are sick of wearing glasses you start to consider laser eye surgery.

LASIK is a type of refractive eye surgery that is done that helps patience achieve 20/25 vision or greater. This is optimal for most activities that we will participate in. Often, patients do eventually need glasses as they age or even for nighttime driving.

The complications experienced with LASIK are rare. In fact, LASIK has a high success rate. Dry eye is the most common issue experienced after LASIK. This usually ends up clearing up with the use of eye drops. It can last up to a few months however, this is rare.

Your specific results will depend on a number of factors including your refractive error. Patients that suffer from mild nearsightedness have reported greater success from refractive surgery than patients with a high degree of far or near sightedness or an astigmatism.

What Happens During LASIK?

There are a number of variations of laser refractive surgery. For our purposes we will refer to them under the term LASIK. With normal vision, images are focused on the retina in the back of the eye. When your eye sight is less than perfect it means that the image is being focused elsewhere, which results in blurred vision.

Normally, images are focused on the retina which is in the back of your eye. With nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) or astigmatism, they end up being focused elsewhere, resulting in blurred vision. This is corrected by reshaping the cornea to provide the proper refraction thus correcting your vision. Before your surgery begins your eye, surgeon will take detailed measurements of your eye. The laser is then used to properly remove parts of the corneal tissue until proper vision has been achieved.

In order to be a candidate for LASIK there are a number of requirements that must be met. Patients must be in good health and free of diseases that could restrict healing. Overall you must have healthy eyes that suffer only a moderate degree of refractive errors and you are not or have not experienced any unusual vision issues. Age related vision disorders such as cataracts are not cured during LASIK. Cataract surgery is different than LASIK. If you have an active job or lifestyle where you can not take time off to recover, then LASIK is not appropriate for you. Recovering from LASIK surgery is fairly simple but does require you to avoid intense workouts or activities where you could suffer a blow to the head for at least a month.

Should I Install A Reverse Osmosis System Even If I Have A Water Softener?

Hard water is not uncommon. In fact, it is said that up to 85% of homes in the United States have hard water. Many of these homeowners are treating their hard water issue with the installation of a water softener. Although a water softener can help with the hardness of your homes water and remove slight impurities it doesn’t get them all. In order to remove a greater number of impurities in your homes water along with the sodium from your water softener, it is often recommended to have a reverse osmosis unit installed.

The combined use of both a water softener and reverse osmosis systems provides high quality water. The reverse osmosis membranes are delicate. A RO system alone will be inadequate in a home with hard water because of the amount of calcium and magnesium in the water. Calcium and magnesium are the main minerals that make water hard. A RO has a small sediment filter, but it is not nearly big enough to remove the calcium and magnesium impurities that a water softening unit does. Homeowners that install a water softener with a reverse osmosis drinking water system will extend the life of the RO membranes. The water softener/conditioner works as a protective barrier for the RO.

Increased drinking water quality is another reason that homeowners should consider installing a whole house water softener and a point of use reverse osmosis system in the kitchen. This allows the water coming from the kitchen tap and the lines going into the refrigerator to be of the highest quality. A reverse osmosis water treatment system takes the water a step further than what your water softener can which helps to ensure the water that you are ingesting is of the purest quality.

Another benefit of using a combination of a water softener and reverse osmosis system is the savings in energy expenses, increased lifespan of household appliances, and a decrease need for soap, shampoo, and detergents. Reverse osmosis systems eliminate the need for bottled drinks which saves families a great deal of money.

Homeowners can see how the installation of a softener and RO in combination with one another will reduce household expenses and top-quality water.

Choosing A Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System

If homeowners have a whole house water softener installed, consider a RO system that does not interfere with its operation. Evaluate a variety of systems from level of noise they make to how complex filter maintenance is. Using a RO system with your homes water softener allows you to give your family the highest quality drinking water. Who doesn’t want that for their family’s water supply?

Answers to The Top 4 Questions About Radiation Therapy

Anyone that is starting a new medical treatment has a right to be a little nervous. This article is being written to help ease the anxiety of cancer patients that are scheduled for radiation therapy. Fear comes because of the unknown and common misunderstandings patients have about radiation.

Radiation therapy is delivered using a large piece of medical equipment known as a linear accelerator. With maintenance, repairs, and part replacement linear accelerators can deliver radiation to an average number of patients for between five and ten years. Below we will answer the most commonly asked questions about radiation therapy using a linear accelerator, LINAC.

Is Radiation Therapy Painful?

Thankfully radiation therapy is not painful. Patients often report that they do not experience any sensation when the radiation is delivered from the LINAC. A few patients have reported that they feel a slight warm tingle in the area where the LINAC is delivering radiation. The skin in the area where linear accelerators deliver treatment can become dry and itchy over time. This can cause some discomfort but definitely not enough to stop treatment. Skin reactions due to radiation can be treated with over the counter ointment.

Does Radiation Therapy Cause Me to Be Radioactive?

Radiation therapy only makes patients radioactive when internal radiation is given. Patients are radioactive while the radioactive materials are in them. These patients are secluded in a private hospital room. Patients that are treated using a LINAC through external radiation, will not be radioactive at all. External radiation delivers a precise dose of radiation to the cancerous tissues instantaneously. With external radiation the radiation does not linger. Once the LINAC is turned off the radiation isn’t an issue. In external radiation, patients can continue on their normal routines without worry.

Will I Lose My Hair During Radiation Therapy?

Radiation is considered a localized treatment which means that it focuses directly on the area being treated. This being said you can expect hair loss in the area of treatment however unless treatment is done on your head you shouldn’t experience hair loss. Confusion occurs because people associate radiation and chemotherapy as one in the same therapies. The difference is that chemotherapy is a systemic treatment which means it affects the entire body. During chemotherapy there is a likelihood that patients will lose their hair.

Should I Expect to Experience Nausea and Vomiting?

Radiation therapy doesn’t usually cause patients to feel sick. If treatment is given in areas such as the liver, brain, or gastrointestinal tract patients have more of a risk to experience nausea. Also, patients that are going through chemotherapy and radiation at the same time there is more of a risk for feeling ill.

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