Cancer. It is a word that no person hopes to hear, yet it is all too often spoken by medical professionals around the world. It is also a word that strikes fear because of the unknown. Thankfully, today’s cancer specialists have access to a wide variety of inter-discipline treatments and medications to help patients learn to live with the pain that often accompanies a diagnosis.
What Do You Know About Cancer Pain?
Not everyone will experience pain because each person’s cancer experiences are different. Early detection is a vital component of pain-free living, but even then, cell-destruction affects people differently. For those who do, the pain is manageable with the use of both traditional and non-traditional methods. Part of the treatment plan process helps patients learn how to control pain.
The type of cancer diagnosis a person gets often determines the level of pain one experiences. Some have mild levels while others experience severe pain. The pain level may also fluctuate. There are different types of pain you should be aware of so to understand the treatments.
- Breakthrough pain is the sudden, intense onset that lasts only hours at a time.
- Acute pain generally lasts three months and measures in a mild to severe range.
- Chronic pain is the persistent pain of more than three months that is on-going.
- Phantom pain relates to feelings of pain even when the body part is no longer present.
What Is The Cause Of Cancer Pain?
Research shows that people who have bone, pancreatic, brain, lymphoma, head, lung, and neck cancer suffer significantly from pain associated with the disease. Pain may occur in secondary issues like a tumor, cancer expansion, or during the examination when pressure applies to tissue.
Pain can also be present during treatment. Chemotherapy, surgery, antineoplastic therapies, and radiation are known to cause pain. You may also experience neuropathic pain if damage to nerves occurs which may be chronic and long-term.
How Do I Manage Pain?
The way a doctor and patient chooses to manage pain may vary significantly because of diagnosis and utilized treatment methods. Maryland Pain & Wellness Center uses a wide range of treatment methods which depend heavily on each patient’s needs and wants.
- Over-The-Counter Pain Relievers
When cancer patients have light to less severe pain, over-the-counter medication works well. Your provider may also recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Advil and Motrin for moderate pain. These medications typically do not require prescriptions, but you should always receive a consultation before choosing to take them.
For patients who experience more severe levels of pain, it may be necessary to take narcotics prescribed by a medical professional. Patients receive pain relievers from a prescription which include medications like codeine, oxycodone, Vicodin, and morphine.
Our medical experts at Maryland Pain & Wellness Center also offers our patients access to non-traditional treatment like meditation, acupuncture, nerve blockers, and physical and aquatic therapies. We also advocate for mental health services as well.
If you suffer from the effects of cancer pain, we recommend that you meet with us for a consultation. Please schedule an appointment online or call Maryland Pain and Wellness Center.