The Benefits and Risks of Sex for Cancer Patients
One of the main benefits of sexual contact for cancer patients is that it makes them feel normal. When patients do something that would be considered normal before getting the disease, their mind associates the act with better times and remembers the sensations.
It’s not uncommon for cancer patients to have their own significant others. It’s also not uncommon for sex to be a part of such relationships. Lung-cancer patients may have questions about sex and how it affects them. If that sounds like you, then keep on reading to learn more about the benefits and risks of sex for cancer patients.
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that affects lung linings in older people. Because it is often a chronic cancer, patients find themselves learning to live with the issue for a number of years.
The Positive Benefits of Being Touched
If a patient is being treated or recovering from their procedures, they may not have the energy to perform sexual acts. They still need closeness of course, so both people in the relationship should find time to hold, stroke, and touch one another.
Touching has the power to calm people, reduce stress levels, and forget their worries. Both people can do what they can to keep the other person happy as the benefits of sexual sensations and touching contine.
It Helps One Feels Normal
One of the main benefits of sexual contact for cancer patients is that it makes them feel normal. When patients do something that would be considered normal before getting the disease, their mind associates the act with better times and remembers the sensations. This feeling of being normal helps calm patients and reduces the number of depressive moments.
When your body feels good, it washes away all the worry and anxiety you’re dealing with.
It Releases Good Hormones
When a patient feels for their partner, it releases good hormones; commonly referred to as endorphins. Stress hormones such as cortisol typically fill the body of a cancer patient as they go through their treatments, including chemotherapy.
Endorphins are released during sensual acts and are one of the primary things flowing through the body during such time, spreading positive benefits to every tissue.
Breathing Problems
While sexual relations are typically a very healthy act, there are some drawbacks to the act. For someone dealing with lung cancer, strenuous activities such as sex can make it difficult for them to breathe. Patients should start out small with simple acts and slowly build from there with their partners.
Everyone responds differently to sexual activity. You should always stop if it becomes difficult to breathe.
Risk of Infection
The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute recommends that cancer patients avoid doing anything sexual involving their grown when their primary concern is their recovery. Patients can be particularly vulnerable to infection following cancer treatments. Germs are able to infect the urinary system easily, which can hinder the immune system and make it less able to fight cancer.
It’s up to partners to prioritise the health of their loved ones and avoid intimate relations. After the recovery period has passed, patients are free to discuss closeness with their partners. Cancer Research UK suggests that pain could also be a concern in patients dealing with long-term lung cancer.
Partners should respect one another when communicating their needs during the cancer recovery process. It is impossible to replace the connection and feelings of closeness that come with sexual relations. It is possible to maintain a sexual relationship as a cancer patient, you should need to be aware of the risks and mitigate the potential damage as much as possible.
