If you’ve ever heard the term ‘Mucositis,’ you may think that this is some sort of irritation or infection of the nose – since most of us think of our nose when we think of mucous. However, mucous occurs in numerous parts of the body, and Mucositis has nothing to do with your nose. What is mucositis?
Your Digestive Tract and Mucositis
Mucositis actually occurs in the digestive tract. When the mucous membranes in the lining of the digestive tract become inflamed and ulcerated, you have mucositis. Fortunately, this usually only happens as a result of chemotherapy or radiation therapy, which is usually administered for the treatment of cancer. This form of mucositis is referred to as Gastrointestinal Mucositis.
You are at about a 100% risk of this if you are receiving high doses of chemotherapy, or if you have HSCT, which is Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. If you are receiving radiation therapy involving the head or neck, your risk of mucositis is 80%.
Your Mouth and Mucositis
Mucositis doesn’t just occur in the digestive tract. It can also occur in the mouth, and in this instance, it is referred to as Oral Mucositis. As with Gastrointestinal Mucositis, inflammation and ulcerations exist. This form of mucositis is considered to be a debilitating effect of cancer treatment, and it can be a complication. This is actually quite serious, since it can hinder your ability to eat food or drink liquids.
Treatment for Mucositis
With Oral Mucositis, oral hygiene is essential. You must clean your mouth about every three to four hours – and this is really the only treatment available. A medicinal mouthwash will most likely be prescribed for you. With either type of Mucositis, you should avoid alcohol, fruits, and spicy foods.
Some experts have experimented with other types of treatment, including vitamin therapy, cryotherapy, and laser therapy, but no research has been done on these types of treatment for this condition, so results are unpredictable. Some patients will find relief by sucking ice cubes, but this just relieves symptoms of the condition, and does nothing to heal it. The key to getting past this condition is to not allow the ulcerations to become infected.
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