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Oct 23, 2024 · Most cancer pain is manageable, and controlling your pain is an essential part of your treatment. What causes cancer pain? Pain can be caused by the cancer itself. Pain could happen if the cancer grows into or destroys nearby tissue. As a tumor grows, it can press on nerves, bones or organs. The tumor can also release chemicals that can cause pain.
Opioids, non-opioids and other drugs may be used to manage pain related to cancer. Each type of drug helps control pain in different ways. They may be used alone or in combination. It may take a few weeks to find the right drug and dose to control pain with the fewest side effects.
Anti-convulsant help control tingling or burning from nerve pain caused by the cancer or cancer treatment. Stimulants and amphetamines increase the pain-relieving action of opioids and reduce the drowsiness they cause.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs. When a tumor invades bones, nerves or organs, it can cause inflammation, which can be painful. Taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug like Celebrex or meloxicam can offer relief.
- Muscle relaxers. Sometimes cancer treatment causes pain. For example, patients who’ve had radiation therapy may develop scar tissue near the treatment site, which can cause muscle tightness.
- Scrambler therapy. Scrambler therapy is a non-invasive treatment often used in patients with neuropathy. When patients feel pain, the sensation is translated into different signals that are sent to the brain.
- Steroid injections. Steroids like triamcinolone and dexamethasone mimic your body’s natural response to inflammation and can help ease more severe joint pain from arthritis or pain from herniated discs or spinal cord compression.
Pain is a common side effect of cancer and its treatments, but having cancer doesn't mean you have to live with pain. Managing pain is part of your overall treatment plan. Talking about your pain helps your healthcare team understand it and figure out how to control it.
Cancer that spreads to the bones often causes pain and can make the bones weak and more likely to break. Cementoplasty uses cement to fill parts of a bone that have been damaged by cancer. It can be used to make the bone more stable and so reduce pain.
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May 23, 2023 · When cancer causes you physical pain, there are many medicines that can help manage it so you feel better. Your doctor will prescribe what you need based on your situation. Any time you have...
