About one in three patients experience pain from cancer. The more advanced the cancer, the more likely it is that you will have pain and require some sort of pain management or pain relief.
Cancer pain can be severe or mild, and it can be constant or it may only occur once in awhile. As cancer research progresses, doctors have become quite familiar with all forms of cancer-related pain and with the pain relief options they can offer their patients.
Pain can come from treatments, from nerve pressure or from tumors. Depending on the severity and source of the pain, your doctor will prescribe aspirin, acetaminophen, anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen, or perhaps even codeine, or stronger medications like morphine, oxycondone, or others.
In some cases, your doctor may prescribe massage, self-hypnosis, meditation, acupuncture or acupressure for pain relief.
If you plan to use medication for pain relief, you should understand that pain medications do have side effects. You may become constipated, feel confused or lethargic, or even have hallucinations in extreme cases. If your doctor gives you a prescription for pain relief, be sure to stay in touch with him or her and let the doctor know if you have symptoms or side effects.
Sometimes, the symptoms or side effects are temporary, while your body is adjusting to the new medication, and these symptoms may disappear after a week or two. If you are taking anti-inflammatory medication like Advil, ibuprofens or other medication, with frequency, be sure to have your doctor check your blood pressure and perform periodic blood work to monitor your kidney function etc.
If taken regularly, aspirin can cause ulcers or gastrointestinal bleeding, so you'll want to monitor your health and symptoms carefully. When you talk to your doctor about pain relief, your doctor will probably ask you to rate your pain on a scale of one to ten. How severe does the pain get? How often do you get the pain? What type of pain are you feeling?
With this information in mind, your doctor will recommend pain relief techniques or medications. Remember, YOU are the patient. If you do not want to take a certain medication or you would prefer a more natural method of pain management, discuss these preferences with your doctor and ask for recommendations.
If you find that you are still not able to achieve relief from the pain you feel, ask your doctor to refer you to a Pain Management clinic or specialist. All large cancer treatment programs have pain management services and these are covered by standard health insurance policies. You do not have to suffer in silence!
If you work together with your doctor and other specialists, you can find a pain management technique or combination of techniques and medication, to help you handle your cancer-related pain.
Cancer cases have been on the rise over the last few years, no doubt, due to the high stress, environmental toxins, and unhealthy lifestyle and eating behavior of people living in the 21st century. Cancer is an illness that is medically defined as a state of abnormality where uncontrolled production of one or more cell populations interferes with the normal functions of the body. This ailment is one of the major causes of deaths around the world. Other than the fear of death, another difficulty faced by cancer patients is the side effects of pain medication. Also known as the ?Big C?, many medical experts believe that the said disease is brought about by factors like the environment, age, lifestyle, and genes of the patient. Generally, cancer affects the elderly more than the other age groups due to its multistage process that may take 15 to 45 years for symptoms to be evident. Some events, activities, or diets may trigger the development of cancer cells over a period of time. Several studies suggest that people can be genetically prone to cancer when enzymes that aid in the prevention of cancer growth are not efficient enough to stop cancer cell development. While not all cancer patients experience cancer pain, statistics claim that one out of three people undergoing cancer treatment does. And in cases where cancer is in the advanced stage, meaning cancer has spread or recurred, the chance of experiencing cancer pain is even higher. Cancer pain relief is a common need among cancer patients. In many cases, the pain is caused by a tumor, but there are also times when the source can be anything other than the cancer itself. Cancer pain may vary in intensity. It can be dull, aching, or sharp. It can also be constant, intermittent, mild or even severe. But no matter how painful the condition may become, cancer pain relief is possible. There are many several ways to get cancer pain relief. Removing the source of the pain through surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or some other form of treatment is still the best way to rid of cancer. If these are not applicable, there are pain medications that can help patients to control the pain.
Some medications that are used to alleviate cancer pain may include the follwing:
- Analgesics like aspirin or acetaminophen; - Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen; - Weak opioids like codeine; and - Strong opioids like morphine, oxycodone, hydromorphone, fentanyl, or methadone.
These drugs are easy to use and can be taken orally. However some medications may be taken intravenously, rectally, or through the patches of the skin. Just like other drugs for pain relief, these medications may bring side effects. Common side effects of pain relievers may include confusion, lethargy, and sleepiness. The severity of these effects varies from person to person and may disappear after stopping medication. Before taking medicines for cancer pain relief, patients are advised to seek the approval doctors and other health specialists to clarify side effects and drug interactions that may occur while using certain drugs. In addition to this, persistent pain that affects performance and lifestyle should be reported to one's doctor to prevent it from creating more harm to the body. Early diagnosis is important in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.
Both Timothy Rea & Emmanuel Chavez are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Timothy Rea has sinced written about articles on various topics from Religion, Breast Enlargements and Home Improvement. Whether your pain is mild or severe, you can find treatment options and information about pain relief by visiting our web site: . Timothy Rea's top article generates over 6600 views. to your Favourites.
Emmanuel Chavez has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Health and Arthritis Signs. Emmanuel Chavez is a sports writer and holds a graduate degree in Sports Nutrition. He is active in promoting weight loss programs and healthy lifestyle among inner city youth.Stressed? Want your muscles to relax? This might help