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Information for Patients and Caregivers
Cancer and Treatment-related
Pain
What is treatment-related pain?
Pain is an unpleasant and uncomfortable feeling and emotional
response related to actual or possible tissue damage. Pain
is one of the hardest symptoms to understand. The most important
is that pain is whatever a person says it is, happening
whenever he/she says it does.
How do people describe pain?
Individuals describe pain in many ways, sometimes related
to where the pain may be coming from. Pain can be described
as aching, gnawing and concentrated in one area, or it can
be vague and a more generalized aching. Pain can be sharp
and intense, tingling or numbing. Pain can also be described
as burning or searing.
Pain can come on suddenly or gradually. Individuals who
have had pain for a period of time have chronic pain; they
can also have periods of very intense pain (breakthrough
pain).
What causes pain?
Pain can result because or tissue damage from surgery,
pressure on nerves (compression), such as from a tumor.
Nerve pain can result from chemotherapy damage to nerves
in the fingers, hands, toes and feet called neuropathies
(more common with some chemotherapy drugs such as Paclitaxel,
Docetaxel and Cisplatinum). Mouth sores can also cause tissue
pain. Cancer tumors can grow uncontrollably and press into
surrounding tissue and cause pain. Tumors can also spread
to other area of the body and cause new pain.
How do people cope with pain?
Pain is unique to the individual experiencing it. Some
pain may be a little more challenging to control, but pain
can be controlled to allow you to function. It’s better
to begin a pain management program early, in order to improve
your function in daily activities. Cancer pain is manageable
in more than 90% of cases. Here are some tips that may help
you manage your pain.
- Use a pain scale of zero (none), 1-3 (mild), 4-6 (moderate)
and 7-10 (severe) to rate your pain level.
- Take your pain medication around the clock (for example:
every 4-6 hours, including during the night)
- Try using heat or cold to your area of pain. Wrap your
heating blanket or ice pack in a towel to protect your
skin.
- Use a pain diary to include rating your pain (0-10),
having set times during the day that you rate your pain
(an hour after each dose or when the pain is worse). This
can help your healthcare provider make recommendations
for you.
- Use pillows to keep your weight off your area of pain
- Try using a journal to keep track of your pain; this
may help your healthcare provider manage your pain too.
- Listen to relaxing music, or a funny television program
to help distract you.
- Make sure that if you’re taking pain medication that
can be constipating, to take a laxative and/or stool softener.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about this.
- Talk to your health care team about additional things
that can be done.
- Try imagining pleasant scenes in your mind (guided
imagery).
What can family members and friends do to help with pain?
- Ask family members and friends to help position you
so you can be more comfortable.
- Ask family members and friends to call your doctor
if your pain medication is not helping to decrease your
pain.
- Ask them to remind you to take your pain medication
as prescribed and keep on an even schedule, even through
the night.
- Ask someone in your family to give you a gentle back
rub with warmed lotion.
How can I talk with my family members about pain?
- Try telling your family members where your pain is,
and how severe your pain is on a zero (no pain) to 10
(the worst pain you can imagine) scale. If the pain
is a seven or above, contact your doctor.
- Tell your family members the type of words you would
use to describe your pain.
- Tell your family member how many hours per day you
have the pain you describe.
- Tell your family member how your pain is affecting
your emotions.
- Ask family members for suggestions to help manage your
pain.
What should I report to my doctor or nurse?
- Pain not relieved by current medication, and that you
report as a 7 or higher
- How many hours per day you have pain, and how long
the pain lasts after taking something to relieve.
- Pain that is new or different from your last doctor’s
visit.
- Pain that accompanies a cough or fever greater than
100.7 for more than 24 hours.
- Unbearable side effects to pain medication (example:
uncontrolled constipation)
- Pain along with fatigue, nausea, vomiting, or abdominal
distention.
- Pain that is worsening despite using a pain medication
schedule (taking pain medication throughout the day and
night)
- Where your pain is located. Rate your pain on the pain
scale. (1-3-mild, 4-6-moderate, or 7-10-severe)
Where can I get more information?
References:
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network at
http://www.nccn.org |
