Testicular Cancer: Home Treatment

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Home Treatment

During treatment for any stage of testicular cancer, you can use home treatment to help manage the side effects that may happen with testicular cancer or cancer treatment. Home treatment may be all that is needed to manage the following common problems. If your health professional has given you instructions or medications to treat these symptoms, be sure to follow them. In general, healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep and exercise may help control your symptoms.

• Home treatment for nausea or vomiting includes watching for and treating early signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth, sticky saliva, and reduced urine output with dark yellow urine. Your doctor also may prescribe medicines to control nausea and vomiting. For more information on how to deal with these side effects, see:

  Cancer: Controlling nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy.

• Home treatment for diarrhea includes resting your stomach and being alert for signs of dehydration. Check with your health professional before using any nonprescription medications for your diarrhea.
• Home treatment for constipation includes gentle exercise along with adequate intake of fluids and a diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, and fiber. Check with your health professional before using a laxative for your constipation.
• Home treatment for fatigue includes making sure you get extra rest while you are receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Let your symptoms be your guide. You may be able to stick to your usual routine and just get some extra sleep. Fatigue is often worse at the end of treatment or just after treatment is completed.

Other issues may include:

• Hair loss. This can be emotionally distressing. Not all chemotherapy medications cause hair loss, and some people have only mild thinning that is noticeable only to them. Talk to your health professional about whether hair loss is an expected side effect with the medications you will receive.
• Poor appetite. Healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep and exercise can help control your symptoms. It is important to eat well during treatment for testicular cancer to prevent weight loss and to conserve your strength.
• Sleep problems. If you find you have trouble sleeping, be sure to have a regular bedtime, get some exercise during the day, avoid naps, and follow other tips to help you sleep more easily.

Many men with testicular cancer face emotional issues as a result of their disease or its treatment.

• The diagnosis of testicular cancer and the need for treatment can be very stressful. You may be able to reduce your stress by expressing your feelings to others. Learning relaxation techniques, such as meditation or yoga, may also help you reduce your stress.
• Your feelings about your body may change following a diagnosis of testicular cancer and the need for treatment. Adapting to your body image changes may involve talking openly about your concerns with your partner and discussing your feelings with your health professional. Your health professional may also be able to refer you to organizations that can offer additional support and information.

Testicular cancer and its treatments do not always cause pain. If you have pain, there are many options to relieve it. If your health professional has given you instructions or medications to treat pain, be sure to follow them. Home treatment for pain, such as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID) or an alternative therapy, such as biofeedback, may improve your physical and mental well-being. Be sure to discuss any home treatment you use for pain with your health professional. For more information, see the topic Cancer Pain.

Last updated:	February 05, 2007
Author:	Kathe Gallagher, MSW
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Christopher G. Wood, MD, FACS - Urology/Oncology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC