Overview:
Cancer Pain Treatment & Management in Austin, TX
Cancer is one of the biggest health concerns all over the world and is the second leading cause of death in the United States.
Pain caused by cancer can also be very severe. Whether the pain is caused by the disease or the treatments (or a combination of both), the pain is often agonizing. This is especially true for those who are in the advanced stages of the disease.
What is cancer pain, and how is it caused?
Cancer can cause pain in various ways. Here are some examples:
- Chemicals and toxins that are released into the body through treatment as well as the body’s response to them (nociceptive pain).
- Some types of cancers secrete proteins (a paraneoplastic syndrome), which can cause extreme pain.
- Treatment or diagnostic procedures, such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.
- Nerves can get compressed or damaged due to tumors spreading and compressing different nerves, bones, or organs or destroying healthy tissue – can cause pain that is known as neuropathic pain (this can also be caused by cancer treatment).
- Metastases spreading to other organs.
- Metastases spreading to the bone.
The pain caused by cancer can be experienced in different ways:
- Chronic Pain — Sharp throbbing pain that is experienced for a long time. This pain can only be managed and not completely controlled. This pain is usually caused by the death of healthy tissue.
- Visceral Pain — Sharp, aching, cramping pain experienced in a body organ. This pain is usually caused by tissue damage or pressure on internal organs.
- Somatic Pain — Dull, achy pain at the skin, muscles, bones and connective tissue caused by direct damage or pressure from growing tumors.
- Acute Pain — Initial, severe pain due to ulcers or sores that usually abates soon.
- Breakthrough Pain — Periods of pain above and beyond the normal baseline pain that is being managed with medicines.
- Referred Pain — Pain experienced in an area that is away from the actual region of the disease.
- Phantom Pain — Pain experienced in a part of the body that has already been amputated as part of the treatment.
What are the symptoms or characteristics of cancer pain?
Symptoms of cancer pain are diverse. Here are a few:
- Tenderness with constant background pain
- Constant lower back pain
- Radiating pain
- Pricking pain
- Back spasms
- Increase in pain during movement
- Sharp and burning pain
- Dull and achy feeling
- Constant throbbing
- Swelling
What are the factors that determine the intensity of the pain?
The intensity of the cancer pain varies from person to person based on a few factors that include:
- Stage of the cancer — Early stage cancers usually are not associated with pain. The stages of cancer range from 1 to 4, with 4 being the most advanced. Pain is most intense in Stage 4.
- Type of cancer — Some types of cancer such as bone cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, and brain cancer are more painful than the others. General health and other health complications may impact the way different people feel the same symptoms or characteristics of pain.
- Tolerance of pain — This differs from person to person, and is the amount of pain that an individual can handle without severe distress. This is highly subjective.
- Comorbidities — Pain associated with cancer may seem more intense in people with other underlying health conditions. For example, someone with severe arthritis may feel the implications of bone cancer more intensely.
- Treatment of cancer — The pain of treatment can contribute significantly to the pain of the disease itself in the case of surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapies, use of angiogenesis inhibitors or radiation.
Stress, anxiety, depression, disturbed sleep and lack of support are other factors that can affect the way cancer pain is experienced. Cancer pain has an enormous emotional component.
When should I see the doctor to get cancer pain diagnosed?
Immediately! Advanced Pain Care can see you the same or next day. Diagnosing cancer pain successfully and accurately begins with correctly understanding the source of the pain. Reaching that diagnosis is not always easy, as the causes of the pain are so diverse.
It is a good practice to keep track of the symptoms you experience using a pain rating scale from 0 to 10 to help your physician understand your pain more accurately.
Keep track of the following along with an assigned pain rating:
- Pain relieving measures used
- Location of the pain
- Severity of the pain
- Type of pain felt
- Other side effects experienced
- What makes it better or worse
- Duration of the pain
- Cause of the pain
While it is critical to understand why and where you are experiencing pain, it is also important to receive expert care and advice from a physician or cancer specialist.
As a rule of thumb, if your pain is interfering with your daily routine or activities, or if it becomes persistent, we recommend setting up an appointment with Advanced Pain Care. Call us at 512-244-4272 for same or next day appointments.
How can cancer pain be treated or managed?
Identifying the source or cause of the pain becomes crucial to finding the most effective pain treatments. Pain treatments can and will vary with the symptoms.
- The first step is removing the source of the pain by treating the cancer. This can be done through surgery or treatments like chemotherapy and radiation.
- If the patient is not in very severe pain, drugs such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and COX-2 inhibitors are initially prescribed. If there is no relief in the pain, mild pain medication such codeine are administered. Stronger medications are prescribed in case of severe pain along with non-opioid analgesics.
- To prevent pain signals from the nerves in the painful region reaching the brain, neurolytic or nerve block procedures are recommended.
- Surgical destruction of central and peripheral nervous tissue such as neurectomy, cingulotomy, and cordotomy is done in some cases.
- Procedures like the implantation of intrathecal pumps, spinal cord stimulators, or long-term epidural catheters are also done in specific cases.
Over a third of people who have cancer pain describe it as ranging between moderate to severe, meaning intervention and treatment becomes crucial in pain relief and overall heath.
Those experiencing cancer pain may not report it for fear of side effects or the added financial burden. In some cases, it could be a reluctance to take strong medication over and above what they are already taking.
At Advanced Pain Care, our doctors specialize in pain management and offer expert advice and effective treatments for those experiencing pain. Call us at 512-244-4272 for same and next day appointments. 11 Central Texas locations to serve you.
FAQS
Q: What does cancer pain feel like?
A: Cancer pain does not feel the same for everyone. Some people describe it as a dull ache, while others may feel burning, stabbing, throbbing, or pressure-like pain. The way you experience pain often depends on where it is coming from. For example, pain caused by a tumor affecting a bone may feel different from pain involving a nerve or nearby organ. Understanding how the pain feels is an important part of finding the right approach for cancer patient pain relief.
Q: What causes cancer pain?
A: There is no single reason why cancer pain happens. For some people, the pain comes from the tumor affecting an area nearby. For others, it may be linked to treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Knowing what is causing the pain helps doctors decide the right path for cancer pain treatment.
Q: Is cancer pain always a sign the cancer is getting worse?
A: No. Pain can result from treatment, surgery, nerve damage, inflammation, or an older injury. New or changing pain should still be reported to the cancer care team so they can determine the cause rather than assuming it means the cancer has progressed.
Q: What is the strongest pain reliever for cancer pain?
A: There is no universal strongest drug for managing pain from cancer. When appropriate, opioids may be used for moderate to severe cancer pain. Other medicines and procedures may also be included as part of cancer pain management.
Q: Can cancer pain be completely relieved?
A:
Sometimes pain can be brought under very good control, although complete relief is not guaranteed for everyone. Treatment may involve medication, nerve blocks, injections, radiation, or other approaches. The plan depends on the source, severity, and type of pain.
Q: Is cancer pain constant, or does it come and go?
A: Cancer pain can look different from person to person. Some people may feel it throughout the day, while others may notice it only when they move, walk, or do certain activities. In some cases, especially when nerves are involved, the pain may come in sudden episodes and feel like burning, tingling, or shooting sensations.
Q: When should you see a pain specialist for cancer pain?
A: When pain is keeping you from being able to sleep, move easily, or participate in daily life activities, it may be time to get pain specialist support. Treatment options may go beyond medications ordinarily used. This may include tailor-made treatment plans at Advanced Pain Care and nerve blocks where appropriate.
Q: What is a nerve block for cancer pain?
A: In a nerve block, medication is injected near the affected nerve to ease pain. This can be a useful option when cancer-related pain affects nearby nerves or certain areas of the body. At Advanced Pain Care, nerve blocks may be considered as part of a broader pain management approach.
Q: Are opioids safe for long-term cancer pain management?
A: Opioids are not without their risks, and that is the reason why many patients feel uncomfortable taking them. However, under pain doctor supervision, they can play an important role in cancer pain management.
Q: How do doctors measure cancer pain?
A: Doctors do not look at only a pain score. They also look at where in your body you feel it, how bad it is, when you feel it, and how it gets in the way of your daily activities. This information allows them to understand your pain more accurately and plan the right approach for managing pain from cancer.
