October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Throughout the month, many people and organizations remind us of the importance of self-exams and screenings to help detect breast cancer as early as possible. Breast cancer is relatively common in women, as 1 in 8 will develop breast cancer, according to Breastcancer.org. Consider the following statistics from Breastcancer.org:

• For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer.
• Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. Just under 30% of cancers in women are breast cancers.
• About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic mutations that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations.

This is a dangerous condition if left unchecked. So in the spirit of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’d like to encourage everyone, especially women, to take the proper steps in screening for breast cancer, including monthly breast self-exams and yearly mammograms for women over 40.

Dealing with the side effects of treatment

There are a variety of options for treating breast cancer. Unfortunately, treatments for breast cancer, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery, can put a lot of stress on the body resulting in a number of potential side effects. Our purpose at The Wright Stuff is to help make your life a little easier. Treating breast cancer effectively is your doctor’s specialty. Keeping you comfortable and independent is ours. With this in mind, let’s look at two common side effects of breast cancer treatment and how we can help.

Skin irritation and itching

Skin irritation can be caused by breast cancer treatments. For soothing your skin and easing mild itching, Breastcancer.org suggests bathing in warm (not hot) water, using a mild soap, drinking a lot of water to stay hydrated, and using skin cream with aloe vera.

TriDerma MD skin products combine highly effective ingredients with AP4 Genuine Virgin Aloe to maximize healing for skin irritations. TriDerma products are cortisone-free and are safe for sensitive skin. TriDerma Extreme Moisturizer, for example, locks in moisture and reinforces the skin’s natural protective barrier. It’s great for soothing redness, itching, and burning.

Pain

Breast cancer treatments can also cause pain in the back, bones, joints, and muscles. You should talk to your doctor about pain medications. That said, there a lot of things you can do to reduce pain such as changing your body position and refrain from straining or over-exerting yourself. We offer many products that can help keep you comfortable, from improving your posture to easing stress and tension on your joints and muscles.

For example, pillows and bed positioning aids can help you properly support your neck, legs, and back to ease stress and help you relax or sleep restfully.

Make recovery a little easier

Breast cancer is an unfortunately common condition. And the treatments for it can cause numerous unwanted side effects. While these aren’t always avoidable, you can make use of daily living aids to make recovering from breast cancer a little easier.

If you haven’t, let this October be the month that you begin taking steps to ensure breast health and check for any signs of cancer. And ask your friends and family to do the same.