Cancer: Pain Medicines
If you have severe pain, your doctor may
prescribe stronger medicine. Depending on your
pain, some of these medicines work better than
others. Antidepressants and antiseizure
medicines relieve burning and tingling pain,
which often are caused by pressure on nerves.
Other prescription medicines are:
• Corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone or
prednisone. These decrease swelling.
• Opiate pain relievers, such as hydrocodone,
methadone, or oxycodone.
Cancer pain can be managed with medicines or
other methods. Treating your pain will make
you feel better. You will be more active, eat and
sleep better, and enjoy your family and friends.
If your pain is not treated, you may not be able
to sleep, you may have trouble thinking, and
you can have problems getting along with
others. Over time, pain can cause appetite
problems, depression, and intimacy problems.
Pain may make it hard for you to do your normal
activities, such as going to work or enjoying life.
What medicines can you use?
Your doctor may try different medicines,
combinations of medicines, or higher doses to
control your pain. The exact medicine and how
it is given depend on the cause of your pain and
how bad it is.
Talk to your doctor before you take
over-the-counter medicine. Acetaminophen may
ease mild pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen,
ease pain and decrease swelling.
• Nerve blocks. Your doctor injects these drugs
into the painful area or into the space around
your spine. They give short-term pain relief
by preventing the nerve from sending pain
signals. Nerve blocks may help with very
bad pain.
What is the best way to use
medicine?
Take your pain medicine exactly as directed.
This is very important for keeping your pain
under control. Call your doctor if you think you
are having a problem with your medicine.
Take your medicine on a regular schedule so
that you prevent pain. Your doctor may call this
"staying on top of your pain." You may take less
pain medicine if you take it on a regular
schedule. If you still have pain, call your doctor.
Pain is easiest to control when you treat it before
or just after it starts. Do not wait until your pain
gets bad, and do not hold off as long as possible
between doses. Waiting a long time between
doses may make it harder to get your pain back
under control. Or you may need a higher dose
of medicine to feel better again.
Some people may be able to use a
patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump to
control their pain medicines. A PCA pump is a
machine that holds your medicine. You press a
button whenever you feel pain or feel
uncomfortable, and the machine gives you more
medicine.
Are there other ways to treat pain?
If a tumor is causing pain, your doctor may use
chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery to shrink,
destroy, or remove it. Talk to your doctor about
exercise, physical therapy, and other ways to
ease pain. He or she may suggest using heat or
ice packs or trying massage. Other methods
include:
• Relaxation exercises. Certain breathing and
muscle relaxation exercises can help ease
pain.
• Biofeedback, which uses the mind to control
a body function that the body normally
controls on its own, like muscle tension.
• Guided imagery. This is a series of directed
thoughts that guide you to a relaxed, focused
state.
• Nerve stimulation called TENS. This uses
low-voltage electrical current for pain relief.
Who treats pain?
If your pain is not relieved, talk to your doctor
about seeing a pain specialist. A pain specialist
may be an oncologist, anesthesiologist,
neurologist, neurosurgeon, nurse, or pharmacist.
A psychologist, social worker, or counselor also
may work with you to help manage your pain.
Do you have any questions or concerns after
reading this information? It's a good idea to
write them down and take them to your next
doctor visit.
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of this information, which does not replace medical advice. 2014-11-tu6572