Pain Management

Pain is a common problem among cancer patients. As common as it is, it does not afflict all patients and there are some who never experience cancer pain. The are several causes for pain:

• Due to the cancer

• Procedures

• Unrelated conditions (arthritis).

The most common cause of pain is spread of cancer to the nerves, bones or other organs. This problem is frequently seen in patients who have advanced cancer. Pain should be relieved in all patients with proper treatment. Patients should also inform their physicians if they are experiencing pain. Even mild pain can cause alterations of mood, physical and psychological functioning of a person.

Treatment:

Approaches to pain control:

1. Treating the cancer

2. Using  pain medications or pain relieving procedures.

The underlying cancer should be treatment with appropriate methods. This may include Surgery, Chemotherapy or Radiation therapy which is most effective in situations where cancer has caused a localized pain, like back pain or bone pain. In addition to these measures, pain medications should also be used as needed. Mild form of pain might be well managed with Tylenol or Aspirin while moderate pain may require the use of Narcotics. Severe pain almost always necessitates the use of Narcotics. Medications are tailored to individual needs. The goal should be to achieve the most effective pain control with the least side effects. Acupuncture and Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) can be very effective in the treatment of pain that is due to nerve and muscle problems. Barriers to effective pain management include problems related to health care professionals as well as problems related to the health care system. Lack of knowledge of pain management and ineffective assessment of the pain are the most common causes of inadequate pain management.