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Cancer Awareness: The Facts About Pain Management
by Andrea Kenningsworth
http://www.lucancer.com
The diagnosis of cancer brings with it an array of emotions
and problems that are quite complex. Of the many fears
and concerns that are intrinsic to such a diagnosis there's
the worry of pain and how it can be managed, if at all.
There are, in fact, many different approaches to pain
management, and the medical team that's assigned to you
will help you to determine which ones are effective.
Having to deal with the pain that's brought on by cancer is
not an absolute. In almost every case, this is one facet
of the disease that can be controlled fairly easily.
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.
Your doctor will normally be very sensitive to your pain
and discomfort. However, if you or your loved one lets him
know about the need for pain control and your doctor does
not seem to have a solution, it is important to meet with
someone who specializes in the area of pain management.
Many times, an oncologist , a cancer treatment specialist
is also a member of a pain management team. Other medical
specialists that work in this area are anesthesiologists
and neurologists. An anesthesiologist has the expertise to
deal with pain management during surgery, and a neurologist
deals with the entire nervous system, the area of the body
that signals pain.
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.
Once a pain management technique has been identified, the
patient should follow it closely. The patient should not
try to "tough it out" by holding out and lengthening times
between doses. The doctor or pain management team has
prescribed what they believe to be the appropriate course
of treatment for relief, so postponing doses will throw off
this program. In many cases, this so called bravery only
forces people to increase the dosage to compensate for the
greater level of pain. Let the members of your medical
team decide the proper dosage to control pain from the very
beginning. Gradually increasing or decreasing treatment is
the concept behind pain management.
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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