Pain is something that we have all unfortunately experienced in our lives. As such, we all know that there are many different types of pain and that it can affect each of us differently. Pain can affect how we think and how we interact with the people around us.
Pain can either be a symptom of cancer or is sometimes caused by its treatment. If you have pain or are worried about getting pain, then please ask your doctor or nurse for help. There are a lot of different things we can do.
There are many different kinds of painkillers available. They all have advantages and disadvantages, so it might take trial and error to find what works best for you. Often as your pain changes you might need more and then less of these drugs. We reduce them when we can, to try and limit their side effects and stop your body from getting used to them. This means they will hopefully work better if you need them again later.
There are also other effective ways to try and improve your pain, such as hot or cold packs, TENS machines and distraction techniques. You may at different stages of your care be encouraged to try these as they often have very few side effects.
If the pain is affecting your ability to do the things you enjoy, then there may also be some exercise and pacing advice that might be useful. If it is starting to affect your mood and thoughts then you might be advised to consider some thinking exercises.
Your mood, social activities and how you think about pain can affect how your brain process pain. Sometimes this can be more effective than any medication and this is why psychologists and physiotherapists are important members of the pain team.
As you can see there are many approaches to try and improve your pain. Your team will help guide you to what is of the most benefit to you. Below is some further information on pain and its management.
Resources
Workshops for Patients & Healthcare Professionals | The Pain Toolkit
Types of pain | Macmillan Cancer Support
Cancer pain management without drugs | Macmillan Cancer Support
About cancer pain | Coping with cancer | Cancer Research UK
10 ways to reduce pain – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) – NHS (www.nhs.uk)