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Managing Pain in Cancer Patients
by Andrea Kenningsworth
http://www.lucancer.com
Besides the usual fears, the announcement that you or a
loved one has cancer creates a frightening and complex
situation concerning the pain the patient will suffer
during treatment. No one wants to suffer unduly, so this
pain has to be properly managed. The new field of pain
management becomes a very important part of the treatment
of a cancer patient. There are now medical specialists who
determine the most effective management in each case, and
there are many different approaches to pain management
today, so each plan is individualized.
That is now a big misconception, that having cancer will
automatically mean a great deal of pain in the treatment.
People frequently feel they just have to learn to deal with
it. With today's pain management techniques, this has
become a complete fallacy. No-one needs to adjust to pain
any longer. If a patient is open and communicative about
the pain they are experiencing, his pain management team
will be able to find relief for the patient. There are a
number of ways to manage pain, and the patient needs to
let the experts decide which steps to take to alleviate it.
Your doctor will normally be very sensitive to your pain
and discomfort. However, if you or your loved one lets him
know about the need for pain control and your doctor does
not seem to have a solution, it is important to meet with
someone who specializes in the area of pain management.
Many times, an oncologist , a cancer treatment specialist
is also a member of a pain management team. Other medical
specialists that work in this area are anesthesiologists
and neurologists. An anesthesiologist has the expertise to
deal with pain management during surgery, and a neurologist
deals with the entire nervous system, the area of the body
that signals pain.
Pain management should not be considered a luxury; it
should be considered a part of the entire process of
treating cancer patients. Dealing with pain can actually
hinder healing, so your doctor will want to be informed
about any pain or discomfort as soon as it hits. It should
not be introduced only once the pain becomes completely
unbearable. It is very important to keep your doctor
informed about the pain, because the method of pain
management may change over time, as pain lessens or grows.
One should not be over or undertreated for pain.
Once medication is prescribed that will address the pain,
don't feel as though you should have to be 'brave' and hold
off as long as possible between doses. Your doctor has
prescribed what he or she believes will be the appropriate
source of relief, and postponing your doses can cause the
pain to become more intense or, in some cases, encourage
you to increase the dosage in order to compensate for the
greater level of discomfort. The members of your medical
team will discuss the importance of taking the medication
when you're supposed to, and what the dosage should be.
Controlling the pain is easier when it begins than it is
after it intensifies.
If your concern is that you'll become addicted or immune to
the pain medication, or that the side effects will cause
you to change your behavior and lose control of yourself,
speak with your doctor. This isn't the case, and those who
work closely with your pain management know exactly what's
necessary without risking other areas of your health.
The American Cancer Society or the National Cancer
Institute have the best information about pain management.
They have a team on hand of medical professionals who will
be happy to assist you with any questions or concerns
about Cancer Care.
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