Cancer pain may be caused by cancer or by medical procedures used to diagnose or treat the cancer, like radiation or surgery.
There are many ways to treat cancer pain. Tell your doctor about your pain. Getting it treated can improve your quality of life at every stage of the disease.
Cancer pain can be controlled in almost every case. You may not be pain-free, but the pain can usually be kept at a level you can bear.
Common types of cancer pain are bone pain, nerve pain, and visceral pain. Bone pain may cause a deep, aching pain. Nerve pain can cause a burning feeling. Visceral pain may be hard to describe. Cancer pain may last a short time (acute) or come and go over a long time (chronic).
Medical treatments to manage cancer pain include:
Nonmedical treatments include:
Radiation can be used to control pain by destroying a growing tumor that is invading or interfering with normal tissue, such as when a tumor presses on bones, nerves, or other organs. This may be done with radiation to part of the body or, in rare cases, with radiation to the whole body. Or you may be given a shot with a radioactive medicine.
Radiation therapy is the use of X-rays to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation damages the cells in the area being treated, stopping or slowing the growth of the cancer cells.
Many different medicines are used to treat cancer pain. Over-the-counter medicines may relieve your pain at times. But you may need stronger medicines that your doctor prescribes. These may be used alone or with other medicines.
These include:
Talk with your doctor before you take these medicines. Don't take more than the label says unless your doctor tells you to.
These include:
These medicines may be stronger or work differently than over-the-counter medicines. Be sure to follow your doctor's instructions when you take these medicines.
Some may work better than others. It depends on the type of pain you have.
The following health professionals can help treat cancer pain:
Your pain may be managed by a team that may include doctors (including pain specialists or palliative care specialists), nurses, psychologists, social workers, and pharmacists. Be sure that all the members of your health care team know about any changes in your pain control diary. You may wish to use one person, such as your medical oncologist, as a team leader who will make sure that all team members share information.
Your doctor needs all the information you can give about what your pain feels like. It often helps to write things down in a pain diary.
If you and your doctor are not able to control your pain, ask about seeing a pain specialist. A pain specialist is a health professional who focuses on treating resistant pain.
Talk to your doctor if you are having problems with depression. Treating depression can make it easier to manage your cancer pain.
Counseling, including cognitive behavioral therapy, may help you manage cancer pain or the pain from cancer treatments. Integrative practices, such as acupuncture, massage, and relaxation exercises, are helpful for some people with cancer pain. Ask your doctor if you think you might want to try one of these.
Cancer and its treatments can be painful. A tumor that presses on bones, nerves, or organs can cause pain. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can also cause pain.
Your doctor needs to understand your pain to treat it effectively. The more specific you can be about your pain, the better. It often helps to write everything down. Some people use a pain diary for this.
You can help by telling your doctor:
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