Cancer pain is one of the common side effects of cancer or cancer treatment. It can range from mild to severe and take many forms. It can be a sharp pain or a stabbing sensation, which may impact your quality of life. Managing cancer pain is a part of your cancer care. Learn about 6 pain management options for cancer at local clinics for comprehensive relief in this article. Visit the best Pain Management Clinic in Brooklyn at Doral Health & Wellness or log on to www.doralhw.org. to schedule an appointment with us.
6 pain management options for cancer at Local Clinics for Comprehensive Relief
These are the major pain management options for cancer pain that you can find at local clinics for comprehensive relief:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs:
When a tumor attacks bones, nerves, or organs, it can cause inflammation, which can be painful. To treat inflammation, the doctor may prescribe a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug like Celebrex or meloxicam for some relief. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are used to treat moderate pain and can be bought as over-the-counter pain relief medications. While these medications control inflammation, they may affect platelet function and may cause fever, so they are not recommended for patients who are undergoing cancer treatments like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or certain clinical trials. This is because patients with these treatments are more prone to infection or bleeding if platelet counts drop. Pain management is a part of a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care, so a patient needs to talk with their oncologist before starting a new pain treatment to ensure there aren’t concerns about negative reactions.
- Muscle relaxers:
Sometimes cancer treatment causes pain due to muscle tightness (such as when patients who have undergone radiation therapy may develop scar tissue near the treatment site, causing muscle tightness). Muscle relaxants can be used to relieve that tightness. Patients who may have pain without the interference of cancer treatment, like pre-existing back pain or muscle spasms, can use this medication to relieve that pain. This makes you comfortable when you’re going through treatment, so you must tell your care team about the pain you’re experiencing.
- Scrambler therapy:
This is a non-invasive treatment offered to patients with neuropathy. When patients feel pain, that sensation is translated into different signals that are sent to the brain. In this therapy, the doctor places little EKG electrodes in the areas where patients have neuropathy (usually the hands and feet). It blocks the pain signals or replaces them with non-pain signals, which scrambles information from injured nerves sent to the brain. This way, it reduces the pain sensation that patients feel. One session typically takes around 45 minutes to one hour. It not only improves patients’ neuropathy but also reduces the use of medications. In some cases, patients may be able to quit their neuropathy medications altogether.
- Steroid injections:
These injections can mimic your body’s natural response to inflammation, easing more severe joint pain associated with arthritis or pain from a herniated disc or spinal cord compression. During this treatment, steroids are injected directly into the damaged part with the help of an X-ray for a precise target. It can provide 2 to 3 months of relief. Like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids can also cause fever or suppress the immune system. In some cases, it is not recommended for patients undergoing immunotherapy or participating in clinical trials. It can also increase blood sugar levels, so patients with diabetes need to talk with their doctor first to manage their blood glucose levels.
- Neurolytic procedures:
Patients who have cancer in the abdomen or have carcinomatosis/carcinosis (when cancer has spread widely throughout the body) may have severe pain caused by tumors that are pressing on the spine or organs. In those cases, this procedure is used. In this procedure, alcohol is injected around the nerves that cause pain. The alcohol can burn the nerves and prevent them from sending pain signals to the brain. A nerve block also works in a similar way, where a local anesthetic and steroid mixture is injected close to the nerves that cause pain. The pain may, however, return, usually in a two to three-month time period.
- Intrathecal drug delivery:
If oral medication or steroid injection doesn’t work, intrathecal drug delivery may help. In this procedure, the doctor delivers medicine like morphine through a catheter inserted directly into your spinal fluid. To confirm if implanted intrathecal drug delivery is right for you, your doctor will inject a single shot of medicine into your spinal fluid. If your pain is reduced by 50% or more over 5 to 7 days, you may be fitted with the pump. If you have the pump implanted, you need to refill the medicine every few months.
Need help with cancer pain? Visit our pain management clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical help. If you’re ready to take the next step in managing your pain, we recommend consulting with our healthcare provider to explore the right treatments or therapies for you. Always listen to your body and adjust your daily routine to prioritize your well-being. Visit Doral Health & Wellness Pain Relief Department in Brooklyn, to get professional help and guidance on how to manage your problem. Call us on + 1-718-367-2555 to get a consultation. If you need help learning coping methods, register your information and make direct contact with our doctors at https://yuz88hfiyh7.typeform.com/Doralintake. Log on to www.doralhw.org. Or visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.
