Cancer Awareness: The Facts About Pain Management
by Andrea Kenningsworth
http://www.lucancer.com
The diagnosis of cancer brings with it an array of emotions
and problems that are quite complex. Of the many fears
and concerns that are intrinsic to such a diagnosis there's
the worry of pain and how it can be managed, if at all.
There are, in fact, many different approaches to pain
management, and the medical team that's assigned to you
will help you to determine which ones are effective.
Having to deal with the pain that's brought on by cancer is
not an absolute. In almost every case, this is one facet
of the disease that can be controlled fairly easily.
It is now considered a misconception that having cancer
automatically means a great deal of pain in the treatment.
With today's pain management techniques, this has become a
complete fallacy. Before, people frequently felt they just
had to learn to deal with the pain, now no one needs to
adjust to pain any longer. Once a patient is open and
communicative about his pain, the team can find relief for
the patient. The patient needs to let the experts decide
which steps to take to alleviate the pain.
Most doctors are very sensitive to the pain and discomfort
of their patients, but if you should express the need for
pain control and your doctor doesn't have any options to
suggest, then request to meet with someone who specializes
in the area of pain management. This may be an oncologist
,a doctor whose specialty is the treatment of cancer, an
anesthesiologist, a doctor who specializes in pain
management during surgery, a neurologist, a doctor whose
area of specialization encompasses the nervous system, and
a neurosurgeon, a doctor who specializes in performing
surgery on the entire nervous system, including the spine
and brain.
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.
The patient should follow the pain managegment plan closely
once a pain management technique has been identified. Under
no circumstances should the patient try to "tough it out"
by holding out and lengthening times between doses.The pain
management team has designed what they believe to be the
appropriate course of treatment for relief, and postponing
doses throws off course. In many cases, people increase
the dosage to compensate for the greater level of pain, so
this so called bravery only makes matters worse. Gradually
increasing or decreasing treatment is the concept behind
pain management. Allow the members of your medical team
to decide the proper dosage to control pain.
The reason many patients resist the idea of pain medication
is that the are concerned that they will become addicted or
immune to the medication, or that there will be the side
effects. If these concern you, you should consult your
doctor. He will assure you that, as long as you follow the
program and are monitored, there should be no concerns.
For more information about pain management, contact the
American Cancer Society or the National Cancer Institute.
Medical professionals are always on hand to assist you with
questions and concerns about all facets of the disease,
including the management of pain.
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