People can live with pain from cancer for years. Direct pain is usually from pressure from the tumor on nerves, organs, or bones, however pain may be caused by other sources, even the treatments themselves sometimes.
There are different approaches to treating cancer pain and much of cancer pain is treatable with the right medications or combinations of medications. Usually, doctors prescribe non-opioid, or non-narcotic medications before trying the stronger medications. These medications would include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) to reduce inflammation, antidepressants (often used for pain), anti-epileptics (also often used for pain), and steroids, like prednisone.
If these medications are not effective, narcotics, such as hydromorphone or fentanyl may be used.
Other methods of pain control can be used in addition to medications, or even in place of medications, if they are effective. These can include methods such as biofeedback, imagery, and so on.
There are many different terms used when talking about cancer pain. Here are a few of the more common ones:
- Adjuvant medication: This is a medication that is used to treat pain but its original purpose was not pain control. Examples are antidepressants and anti-epileptics.
- Breakthrough pain: When patients receive pain medications, pain may still come through between the scheduled doses. This is referred to as breakthrough pain.
- Sustained release medications: Medications that are formulated to release their drug(s) over a longer period of time.
- Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA): Patients are able to control the amount of pain medication they receive and how often by using a pump that has been preset by healthcare professionals.
- Rescue medications: When a patient experiences breakthrough pain, the analgesia (pain medications) used are called rescue medications.
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