About this topic
Cancer pain syndrome is caused by your cancer or from the treatments you may receive for your illness. Pain is an unpleasant feeling that can happen in any part of the body. It ranges from mild to very painful. Pain can last for a short or long time, and it may come and go. It may be dull, sharp, or throbbing. Pain can decrease your appetite or cause your stomach to be upset. ‚
The kind of pain you have depends on the location, type, and stage of your cancer. There are different types of cancer pain: ‚
- Nerve pain ¢ ˆ ’ This kind of pain is caused by either pressure on the nerves or spinal cord, or by damage to nerves. It is also called neuropathic pain.
- Bone pain ¢ ˆ ’ This type of pain is described as aching, dull, or throbbing. It is also called somatic pain.
- Soft tissue pain ¢ ˆ ’ You may feel pain from a body organ or muscle. This type of pain is described as sharp, aching, or throbbing. It is also called visceral pain.
- Phantom pain ¢ ˆ ’ You may feel the pain in a part of the body that has been removed. This type of pain is described as very real and unbearable.
- Referred pain ¢ ˆ ’ You may feel pain from an organ in a different part of your body.
Cancer pain syndrome can and should be treated. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Your doctor will give you drugs for pain. Make sure you follow the exact directions when taking your drugs.
- Ice and heat are used to ease pain and help with swelling from muscle pain.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Use for the first 24 to 48 hours after an injury or workout.
- Heat may be used later but not right away. Do not use heat if you have sharp pain or after an acute injury. Heat can make your swelling worse. If your doctor tells you to use heat, do not use for more than 20 minutes at a time. Never go to sleep with a heating pad on as this can cause burns.
- Try to stay calm. Anxiety and stress may make your pain worse. There are ways to help decrease stress, such as massage, relaxation, breathing exercises, acupuncture, or other therapies.
- You can join a support group to help you cope with your condition.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. Your doctor may talk to you about more treatments.
- Your doctor may send you to a psychologist or psychiatrist to help you manage the pain you feel.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
- Help with anxiety
Take your drugs as ordered by your doctor. Some of these drugs can be habit forming and may cause side effects. ‚
Will physical activity be limited?
- Get lots of rest and avoid doing tiring activities. Sleep when you feel tired.
- Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Pain does not go away even when you take drugs for pain
- Trouble sleeping or thinking clearly
- Trouble breathing
- Problems controlling your bladder or bowel
- Chest pain
- Warm, tender, and painful legs or arms
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my pain.
- I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have trouble breathing, chest pain, or the pain does not go away.
Where can I learn more?
American Cancer Society ‚
http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/PhysicalSideEffects/Pain/index ‚
Cancer Research UK ‚
http://cancerhelp.cancerresearchuk.org/coping-with-cancer/coping-physically/pain/types-and-causes-of-cancer-pain#types ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚