Cancer Pain

Cancer is a diagnosis that no one wants to receive. On top of having to think about treatment options, lifestyle changes, and hopefully recovery period, you are dealing with having cancer in the first place, or helping a loved one deal with wrapping their head around their diagnosis. While there are new and innovative treatments available for all forms of cancer, which is promising, there are also painful side effects from the cancer itself or from the treatments. The California Pain Consultants team in the Escondido, El Centro, La Mesa, San Diego, Chula Vista areas is committed to helping their patients fight cancer as comfortably as possible. 

What is Cancer Pain?

Just like different types of cancer, cancer pain takes many forms. Patients can experience dull, achy, sharp or burning pain that can range in frequency from constant, intermittent, mild, moderate or even severe. There are a myriad of reasons why cancer pain is felt, and can depend on what type of cancer they have, where the cancer is located, how progressed the cancer is, and the patient’s level of pain tolerance. 

Studies show that there is a high level of pain associated with head/neck, prostrate, uterine, breast, genitourinary and pancreatic cancers. Pain is experienced during treatment, lessens after treatment, but increases with advanced terminal cancer. 

While cancer specialists are essential for helping the patient manage and beat cancer, pain management specialists are important for allowing the patient to undergo cancer therapy as comfortably as possible. 

What Causes Cancer Pain?

The good news is that most cancer pain can be treated, allowing for a reduced or manageable level of pain. Knowing what is causing the pain is essential for treatment. Cancer pain generally falls into the following three categories: 

1. Caused by the cancer itself: Pain can be felt if the cancer grows into nearby tissue or destroys nearby tissue. Or, as a tumor grows, it can press on nerves, bones or organs, which can cause neuropathic pain. The tumor can even release chemicals that result in feelings of pain. 
2. Caused by cancer treatment: Surgery can leave behind scar tissue that can create pressure on surrounding nerves, and radiation and chemotherapy can also cause pain as the medicine works to damage the cancer cells. Most patients experience burning, numbness, or tingling in the hands and feet. 
3. Pain unrelated to the cancer itself: Some forms of treatment, while successful in treating the cancer, can leave behind tissue damage that could cause lingering pain or visceral pain. If a patient had to have a limb amputated or underwent a mastectomy, there is a great chance of experiencing phantom pain, which is when the brain continues to send pain signals even post surgery. 

What are the Treatments for Cancer Pain? 

The best way to manage your cancer pain is to first partner with an experienced pain management specialist, and to also make a note of your pain, which helps with proper diagnosis. It’s helpful to note: 

• The severity of the pain
• The frequency of the pain
• What the pain feels like (stabbing, throbbing, burning, etc.)
• When the pain occurs
• If there is anything that makes the pain better or worse
• Any pain relief measures (heat, ice, medications, etc.) that bring relief

Unfortunately there is no clear, one-size-fits-all way to manage cancer pain. But, partnering with an experienced pain management specialist will help you to feel the most consistent and reliable relief whether you’re still undergoing cancer treatment or are still feeling pain after treatment has ended. 

The most common forms on cancer pain treatment include: 

• Biofeedback: this is a great therapy option that helps patients to become more aware of their body, which in turn gives them the ability to regulate involuntary processes, such as heart rate and blood pressure. Teaching the patient how to consciously control their body’s processes ideally gives them the ability to manage and lessen their level of pain. 
• Mindfulness meditation: studies show that patients who meditate report feeling less pain, anxiety and depression, as well as an increased quality of life. The best part with meditation is that it can be done anywhere and only takes practice. 
• Massage: localized, focused rubbing is helpful to reduce muscle spasms and contractions, as well as help the patient to relax and reduce tension
• Acupuncture: auricular acupuncture is a diagnostic and treatment system based on normalizing the body’s dysfunction through stimulation of points on the ear, allowing patients to experience significant decreases in pain
• Medication: Over-the-counter and prescription non-steroid and anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxers and membrane-stabilizing medications (which block impulses along neural pathways) help to provide relief from cancer pain. In later stages of terminal cancer, opioids might also be helpful for short-term use. 
• Nerve blocks: minimally-invasive nerve blocks help to stop the pain sensation from traveling to the brain, mitigating some forms of cancer pain. 
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS): this small device placed on the skin delivers a mild electrical current at or near the nerves to block or change the patient’s perception of pain, so instead of feeling pain the patient will feel a mild tingling sensation
• Intrathecal pumps: also known as a pain pump, an intrathecal pump is a surgically-implanted device that delivers medication directly to the fluid surrounding the spinal cord. This has proven to be a useful tool for long-term cancer pain management. 

There could be additional treatment available to help you best manage your pain. Each patient is different, as is each approach to helping that patient experience pain relief. 

If you are suffering with pain from your cancer treatment, after your cancer treatment, or while you’re in remission, there’s no need to suffer with the pain. There are several options out there available to help manage your specific type of pain, so don’t forego treatment because you feel medications and surgery are the only option. The California Pain Consultants team in the Escondido, El Centro, La Mesa, San Diego, Chula Vista areas is composed of expertly-trained pain management specialists who partner with each patient to help them live their best pain-free life.