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Pain Management for 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.
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.
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.
Once medication is prescribed that will address the pain,
don't feel as though you should have to be 'brave' and hold
off as long as possible between doses. Your doctor has
prescribed what he or she believes will be the appropriate
source of relief, and postponing your doses can cause the
pain to become more intense or, in some cases, encourage
you to increase the dosage in order to compensate for the
greater level of discomfort. The members of your medical
team will discuss the importance of taking the medication
when you're supposed to, and what the dosage should be.
Controlling the pain is easier when it begins than it is
after it intensifies.
The reason many patients resist the idea of pain medication
is that the are concerned that they will become addicted or
immune to the medication, or that there will be the side
effects. If these concern you, you should consult your
doctor. He will assure you that, as long as you follow the
program and are monitored, 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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