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Managing Pain in Cancer Patients
by Andrea Kenningsworth
http://www.lucancer.com
Besides the usual fears, the announcement that you or a
loved one has cancer creates a frightening and complex
situation concerning the pain the patient will suffer
during treatment. No one wants to suffer unduly, so this
pain has to be properly managed. The new field of pain
management becomes a very important part of the treatment
of a cancer patient. There are now medical specialists who
determine the most effective management in each case, and
there are many different approaches to pain management
today, so each plan is individualized.
It is now considered a misconception that having cancer
automatically means a great deal of pain in the treatment.
With today's pain management techniques, this has become a
complete fallacy. Before, people frequently felt they just
had to learn to deal with the pain, now no one needs to
adjust to pain any longer. Once a patient is open and
communicative about his pain, the team can find relief for
the patient. The patient needs to let the experts decide
which steps to take to alleviate the pain.
Most doctors are very sensitive to the pain and discomfort
of their patients, but if you should express the need for
pain control and your doctor doesn't have any options to
suggest, then request to meet with someone who specializes
in the area of pain management. This may be an oncologist
,a doctor whose specialty is the treatment of cancer, an
anesthesiologist, a doctor who specializes in pain
management during surgery, a neurologist, a doctor whose
area of specialization encompasses the nervous system, and
a neurosurgeon, a doctor who specializes in performing
surgery on the entire nervous system, including the spine
and brain.
It's important to recognize that pain management is part of
the overall process for treating cancer patients. This
isn't a luxury, or something that's introduced only when
the pain becomes completely intolerable. A good doctor
will want to be informed about any pain or discomfort, from
the moment that it's experienced. As time goes on,
medications and/or other pain management approaches may
need to be changed, so it's critical that you keep the
lines of communication open in order to receive the relief
that you need.
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.
For more information about pain management, contact the
American Cancer Society or the National Cancer Institute.
Medical professionals are always on hand to assist you with
questions and concerns about all facets of the disease,
including the management of pain.
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