What is Palliative Care?

Common Conditions

There are many conditions and diseases that can cause pain and suffering and can benefit from palliative care, including:

• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s Disease
• Cancer
• Dementia, such as Alzheimer’s Disease
• Diabetes
• Heart disease, such as congestive heart failure
• HIV/AIDS
• Kidney failure
• Liver failure
• Lung disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or emphysema
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Stroke

Among children, the most common diseases that cause pain and suffering and may benefit from palliative care include:

• Birth defects
• Heart defects
• Certain cancers, such as leukemia, brain and neurological cancers, bone cancers and lymphoma
• Cystic fibrosis
• Muscular dystrophy
• Cerebral palsy
• Sickle Cell Anemia
• Spina bifida
• Liver disease
• Kidney disease

You may benefit from palliative care if you have any serious condition that negatively affects your quality of life.