Cancer pain is generally caused by the disease itself, and is sometimes reported as a dull ache and at other times as a sharp shooting pain. The main cause of a dull growing ache is the pressure of a tumour on the area around it. Surrounding nerves, bones and muscles can undergo pressure which causes increasing discomfort. Then there is pain resulting from the cancer treatment itself, which always seems to make things worse before they get better. Chemotherapy can cause mouth sores, nerve damage and digestive troubles. Radiation therapy can cause a burning pain which can also lead to scarring. Surgery is always a painful ordeal and can entail a great amount of weakness and discomfort in the recovery period.
The good news about cancer pain is that there is a myriad of solutions to help manage it. Various pain medication is available and your doctor should be able to tailor pharmaceutical pain management specially to your needs. Physical therapies such as massage can provide a sense of deep relaxation, easing the pain brought about by muscular tension. Other specialized treatments such as cranio-sacral therapy, are useful in moving the nerves out of the site of pain, so that the brain does not register it. Consultation with both medical and complementary specialists is vital in deciding on the most appropriate methods to deal with your specific side effects. Don’t feel scared to experiment with a few different methods in determining which is best for you. After all, the resulting sense of ease and relaxation will give you all the mental and physical strength you need to fight your disease.
