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MedlinePlus provides basaic information on the definition of palliative care, palliative care related to serious illness, cancer, clinical trials, support groups and other topics. Information is also available in multiple languages.

Palliative care is treatment of the discomfort, symptoms, and stress of serious illness. It provides relief from distressing symptoms including:

• Pain
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Problems with sleep

It can also help you deal with the side effects of the medical treatments you're receiving. Hospice care, care at the end of life, always includes palliative care. But you may receive palliative care at any stage of an illness. The goal is to make you comfortable and improve your quality of life.

About the organization: MedlinePlus is a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world's largest medical library, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).