Life After Cancer: Managing Pain
Pain is a common side effect of cancer and cancer treatment. But sometimes people
have pain even after cancer is gone and treatment is over. It can cause problems with
everyday life. It can make it harder to enjoy things and to do the things you need
to do. It’s important to work with your healthcare team to control your pain.
What causes pain after cancer treatment?
Pain after cancer treatment can be caused by many things. It can be caused by scar
tissue from surgery or radiation. Pain can be caused by damage to your skin, bones,
or other organs from radiation or chemotherapy. Or you may have nerve damage that
causes pain and tingling. This is called neuropathy. Some of the medicines used to
treat cancer can cause joint pain and stiffness. Sometimes it may be hard to find
the exact cause of pain.
Types of treatments for pain
You may find that certain types of pain treatment work better for you than others.
And you may have to try different treatments until you figure out what works best
for you. You may even use some of the same kinds of pain control treatments you used
during cancer treatment. Your healthcare provider may prescribe the same pain medicine.
Common pain treatments are:
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Opioid pain medicines. These are strong medicines that ease pain. They can be given in many ways. These
include liquid, pills, nose sprays, and patches. These medicines tend to cause side
effects. They can make you feel sleepy and confused. But this often gets better within
a week or so. Opioids make it hard to move your bowels. Your healthcare provider will
talk with you about what you can do to help keep this from happening. Your dose may
need to change over time. It depends on your side effects and how well your pain is
controlled.
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Nonopioid pain medicines. Other types of medicines may help ease your pain. These include acetaminophen, ibuprofen,
naproxen, and aspirin. Or you may be given medicines like steroids, antidepressants,
muscle relaxants, and anticonvulsants. Make sure you know what side effects to watch
for.
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Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation. This is a type of therapy that uses mild electric currents to help ease some kinds
of pain.
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Cold or heat therapy. Cold can help lessen pain. Heat can soothe sore muscles and aching joints. For cold
therapy, place a cold pack wrapped in a thin towel on the painful spot. Keep it there
for up to 10 minutes at a time. For heat therapy, place a heating pad wrapped in a
thin towel on stiff or sore areas for up to 20 minutes at a time. Ask your healthcare
provider for directions. Don’t use heat or cold on any parts of your body that are
numb, are at risk for swelling (lymphedema), or have poor blood circulation.
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Acupuncture. This type of therapy uses very thin needles put in certain parts of the body. The
needles are left in for up to 30 minutes. Then they are taken out. Some people find
that it can help ease pain all over the body. Your healthcare provider can help you
find a certified, licensed acupuncture therapist.
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Hypnotherapy. A trained therapist can help you reach a state of relaxation that helps relieve pain.
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Guided imagery. This type of therapy helps you create images in your mind. This helps you relax and
lessen feelings of pain.
Talk with your healthcare providers before using any of kind of pain relief method.
They may advise you not to use certain things for your health and safety. They may
also be able to find you a trained professional so you get the best and safest possible
therapy or treatment.
If you are taking pain medicine
Don’t take any other medicine, vitamin, or supplement without talking with your healthcare
provider first. Some pain medicines interact with other medicines and supplements.
These include marijuana and illegal drugs. This can cause very serious problems.
Some prescription pain medicines contain more than one type of medicine. For instance,
you may be taking a combination of codeine and aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen.
But you don’t know that based on the name of the medicine. This means if you also
take over-the-counter aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen, or even cold medicines
that contain these medicines, it could lead to an overdose. Check with your healthcare
team or pharmacist before taking any over-the counter medicines when you're taking
prescription pain medicine.
While you are taking pain medicine:
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Take it exactly as prescribed. Don’t take more than the prescribed dose.
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Be prepared for constipation. Take steps to prevent it.
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Don’t drive if the medicine makes you sleepy.
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Don’t drink alcohol.
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Don’t take any other medicine until you check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist
first.
Get your healthcare provider's help if you want to try decreasing or stopping your
pain medicine . Don’t just stop taking pain medicine. You may need to slowly stop
taking it. Your provider can help you plan the best way to do this.
Keeping a daily pain journal
Writing down information about your pain every day will help your healthcare team
better understand and treat it. It can also help you and your team see what’s working
and what isn’t. Every day, write down:
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When the pain starts and stops, or if it’s there all the time
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Where the pain is in your body
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What the pain feels like: sharp, aching, throbbing, burning
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How mild or severe it is, on a scale of 0 to 10. Zero is no pain. Ten is the worst
pain you have ever had.
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What makes it feel worse or better
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What pain relief you used, when you used it, and how well it worked
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If you had any side effects from pain medicine
Getting support
Pain after cancer can be very stressful. It may help to talk about your cancer recovery
in a support group. Ask your healthcare provider for information about nearby support
groups. You may also feel better by meeting with a counselor. Your healthcare provider
can also refer you to a counselor. Make sure to talk with your family members, too.
It’s important to work with your healthcare team to get good pain control. A team
approach is often needed. Physical therapy and exercise can sometimes help. Pain specialists
can help you, too. Keep in mind that you may have to try different treatments and
even different medicines to find what works. You may have to take more than one medicine
to get the relief you need. Talk with your healthcare providers about how pain affects
your daily life. Work with them to get the pain control you need.
When to call your healthcare provider
Call your healthcare provider for any of these: