Pain Management
..................................................................................................................................................

¢ Pain Management Specialists ............................................................... ¢ Integrative Therapies

Cancer does not always cause pain. But if pain does occur, you, your family and your health care team can work together to manage it.

The more you know about pain and how to control it, the more comfortable you can be. Many people, when diagnosed with cancer, fear the idea of experiencing pain more than the actual cancer itself.

Cancer pain depends on the type and location of the cancer and on your physical and mental condition. For example, fatigue, fear, depression and anxiety can make pain feel stronger.

What should I do if I am in pain?

A test cannot be performed to measure different levels of pain. So that any pain you may be experiencing can be reduced or eliminated, you will need to talk to your physician about the pain and provide specific details about your level of discomfort.

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the answers you give to the following questions can help your physician locate the cause of the pain and develop a plan to provide you with as much relief as possible.

The following questions may be asked of you to more accurately evaluate your condition:

¢ Can you describe the pain and what it feels like?

¢ How would you rate the pain? To accurately answer this, your physician may ask you to rate your pain using a scale from 0 to 10. "0" is absence of pain and "10" is extreme pain.

¢ When did the pain start and how long does it last?

¢ Is the pain worse during certain times of the day or night?

¢ Can you show exactly where on your body you are experiencing pain?

¢ Does the pain move or travel? If yes, can you show how and where?

¢ Have you taken any medications to relieve the pain, or tried any other approaches to reduce the pain? Have you experienced any relief?

¢ Have you noticed particular activities or positions that aggravate the pain?

NCI suggests that you make some notes so that when your physician asks specific questions about your pain you will be able to provide accurate answers. Write down the details of any discomfort you might have been having so you will not forget to report them. Consider keeping a diary of your pain, or ask a friend or family member to help track your symptoms. The types of information that you may want to note in your diary include:

¢ Date.
¢ Time.
¢ Pain scale rating.
¢ Type and dose of medication.
¢ Time pain medication was taken.
¢ How well pain responded to medication taken.
¢ Any other pain relief methods attempted.

Your physician may need to refer to your diary when making a plan to relieve your pain and to make you more comfortable, therefore, be sure to bring it with you to your physician visits.

How can I describe my pain?

When your physician or nurse asks about your pain you will need to communicate how your pain feels in as specific terms as possible. When you are asked how it feels, NCI suggests using the following terminology:

¢ Dull pain - a slow or weak pain, not very sudden or strong.

¢ Throbbing pain - a pain that surges, beats, or pounds.

¢ Steady pain - a pain that does not change in its intensity.

¢ Sharp pain - pain that causes intense mental or physical distress, that may feel "knife-like."

¢ Acute pain - severe pain that lasts a relatively short period of time.

¢ Chronic or persistent pain - mild to severe pain that is present to some degree for long periods of time.

¢ Breakthrough pain - when you are taking medication for chronic pain, moderate to severe pain that occurs between doses (pain that "breaks through").