What is the concept of palliative care?
The term “palliative care” refers to any care that alleviates symptoms, even if there is hope of a cure by other means. It is an approach that focuses on the relief of pain, symptoms and emotional stress brought on by serious illness. In some cases, palliative treatments may be used to alleviate the side effects of curative treatment, such as relieving the nausea associated with chemotherapy. Though the concept of palliative care is not new, most physicians have traditionally concentrated on providing curative treatment to patients. A relatively recent development is the concept of a dedicated health-care team that is entirely geared toward palliative care treatment.
