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Pain Management for Cancer Patients
by Andrea Kenningsworth
http://www.lucancer.com
The announcement that you or a loved one has cancer creates
a frightening and complex situation. Besides the usual
fears is the concern that the patient will suffering a lot
of pain during treatment. You want to make sure that this
pain can be properly managed so that you or the loved one
does not suffer unduly. Pain management becomes a very
important part of the entire treatment of a cancer patient.
Luckily, there are many different approaches to pain
management, and there are now medical specialists who can
help determine the most effective in each case.
That is now a big misconception, that having cancer will
automatically mean a great deal of pain in the treatment.
People frequently feel they just have to learn to deal with
it. With today's pain management techniques, this has
become a complete fallacy. No-one needs to adjust to pain
any longer. If a patient is open and communicative about
the pain they are experiencing, his pain management team
will be able to find relief for the patient. There are a
number of ways to manage pain, and the patient needs to
let the experts decide which steps to take to alleviate it.
Normally, your doctor will be very sensitive to your pain
and discomfort. However, if you feel your doctor does
not seem to have a solution to the pain you or your loved
one is experiencing, it is important to meet with someone
who specializes in the area of pain management. These often
include the oncologist , the cancer treatment specialist,
who is a member of a pain management team. Some other
medical specialists who work in this area are neurologists
and anesthesiologists. A neurologist deals with the entire
nervous system, the area of the body that signals pain, and
an anesthesiologist has the expertise to deal with pain
management during surgery.
Pain management should be considered part of the entire
process of treating cancer patients. It should not be
considered a luxury. Neither should it only be introduced
when pain becomes completely unbearable. Dealing with pain
can actually hinder treatment, so your doctor will want to
be informed about any pain or discomfort as soon as it
The method of pain management may change over time, as the
pain lessens or increases, so it is very important to keep
your doctor informed about the pain. One should not be over
treated in this area, nor should one be under treated.
The patient should follow the pain managegment plan closely
once a pain management technique has been identified. Under
no circumstances should the patient try to "tough it out"
by holding out and lengthening times between doses.The pain
management team has designed what they believe to be the
appropriate course of treatment for relief, and postponing
doses throws off course. In many cases, people increase
the dosage to compensate for the greater level of pain, so
this so called bravery only makes matters worse. Gradually
increasing or decreasing treatment is the concept behind
pain management. Allow the members of your medical team
to decide the proper dosage to control pain.
Many patients are concerned that they will become addicted
or immune to the medication, so they resist the idea of
pain medication. Another reason is that they fear side
effects. You should consult your doctor if these concern
you. As long as you follow the program and are monitored,
he will assure you that there should be no concerns.
The American Cancer Society or the National Cancer
Institute have the best information about pain management.
They have a team on hand of medical professionals who will
be happy to assist you with any questions or concerns
about Cancer Care.
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