Pain Management

One of the biggest fears of cancer patients and their families is how much the patient will suffer from pain. Pain can be caused by several different things including tumour growth, treatments (i.e., surgery, chemotherapy, radiation), other symptoms related to cancer (e.g., constipation, inactivity, skin and mouth conditions), or causes unrelated to cancer (e.g., arthritis). The experience of pain is very personal and an individual sensation. It can be influenced by factors such as disease severity, coping style, support, anxiety, and culture.

Most patients with advanced cancer will experience some pain. Living with pain can result in very poor quality of life and can exhaust a person. It is important to know that most pain can be treated effectively.
Pain can be treated using pain killing drugs called analgesics often combined with special drugs for different types of pain and often with one or more of: radiation, chemotherapy, psychological counselling, and rehabilitation therapies. Analgesics can include opioids (e.g., morphine) or non-opioids (e.g., Tylenol).

There are also other treatments that do not include medications that may also help such as:

  • radiation therapy to shrink tumours and reduce symptoms;
  • TENS machines that provide mild electrical stimulus to lower pain sensations;
  • physical and occupational therapy;
  • relaxation therapy;
  • biofeedback;
  • complementary therapies (e.g., massage, acupuncture, meditation).

These are almost always used in combination with medications.

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This page was last updated: December 1st, 2004 at 12:06pm.