How Can You Control Your Cancer Pain?

I saw the pain my friend went through as she battled with breast cancer until she finally gave up. It was just too unbearably to watch her agony and kept asking the doctors if anything could be done to ease the pain. Nothing much could be done at that time, at least, that was my impression. So you can imagine how excited I was when I came across some information that cancer pain can be controlled in almost every case. This doesn't  mean that you have no pain, but  it stays at a level that you can bear.

 

Cancer and its treatments can be painful, that we all know. A tumor that presses on bones, nerves, or organs can cause pain. Surgery for cancer can cause pain. So can chemotherapy and radiation. There are a number of ways to control each of these kinds of pain. The pain sufferer is the only person who can say precisely how much pain he or she is experiencing, or if a specific pain medicine is effective in depressing pain.

What does your doctor need to know?

The more specific you can be about your pain, the more your doctor will be able to treat it. It often helps to write everything down. Information you give your doctor should include: when your pain began, how it feels and for how long; whether there are any changes in your pain; is it persistent or comes intermittently; what triggers your pain for better or worse; you must be able to describe the pain, for instance whether the pain is sharp, burning, aching or dull. Lastly it’s crucial to tell your doctor precisely where you feel the pain, whether in one place or in many places at a  go, or if the pain shifts from one area to the another.

How to manage cancer pain

Of course pain management often begins with medicine. Several drugs are used to get relief from pain, so you and your doctor may need to adjust your medicine as your pain changes. Your doctor may also recommend various drugs, a mixture of drugs, or higher doses. If a tumour is causing pain, for example, taking out or destroying all or part of the tumor, if possible, every so often provides relief. Chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery is applied for this.

There are many other ways to control cancer pain such as treatments that help you cope better with pain including relaxation exercises, biofeedback; OTC drugs like ibuprofen, aspirin or acetaminophen; massage; bandages or props, and heat or cold application may also boost pain coping abilities.

On the other hand, your doctor may prescribe stronger drugs, including medication to relieve pain and swelling; mouthwashes that provide relief from mouth sores; very powerful painkillers; or depression drugs to provide relief from pain and help you sleep; seizure drugs which help minimise burning and tingling pain caused by damage to the nerves; and skin creams to relieve pain. For very bad pain, nerve blocks are injected right into the nerve that affects the painful site, providing short-term pain relief by blocking the nerve from releasing pain signals. 

Educating yourself as much as possible about your pain, as well as emotional support from your friends and family may also help manage the pain. There are other alternative treatments many people apply, such as acupuncture, aromatherapy, healing touch and prayer.

You may need a pain control journal

A journal will consist of a listing of your pain treatment and how this aided pain relief or  didn’t assist. You can jot down what was used for each treatment, how it worked including any side effects from usage. When you pencil it down, this makes it easier for your doctor to know precisely how effective your treatment is working.

Possibility of getting addicted to pain medicine

There are some pain medicines that tune your body to keep expecting the medicine if used for a week or longer. This is called a drug dependency and is not the same as addiction.  Addiction is a behavioral disorder whereby a person has developed a craving for the drug which may not even be linked to the level of pain.

Several people who take pain medicine are uneasy about the likelihood of getting addicted. Experts believe it’s rare to get addicted to pain medicine if you haven’t had an issue with addiction in the past and take your medicine appropriately as recommended by your doctor. Try to avoid the fear of turning into an addict get in the way of controlling your pain. If you need pain relief, ask for it. It's easier to control pain when you nip it in the bud, which is treating it as soon as it starts. It's also possible to predict pain before it starts, and treat it before it starts, such as before exercise. If you wait until your pain is bad, it’s then more difficult to manage.

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