CancerMail from the National Cancer Institute 


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GET RELIEF FROM CANCER PAIN



National Institutes of Health
National Cancer Institute


IF YOU'RE IN PAIN, GET RELIEF

Medicine and other treatments can almost always relieve cancer pain.  Treating
pain is an important part of good cancer care.  Pain relief can also help you
enjoy life more.


To get relief, talk to your doctor or nurse as soon as pain begins.

          TELL THEM:

  -  All the places it hurts

  -  How strong the pain feels

  -  What makes the pain worse

  -  What eases the pain

  -  How much relief you get from medicines you now take


          ASK THEM:

  -  What medicine(s) can you give me to relieve my pain?

  -  How and when should I take the medicine(s), and for how long? 

  -  What side effects are common? What should be done if they occur?

  -  Should I try non-drug methods to relieve my pain, too, like relaxation or
massage?


DON'T LET WORRIES LIKE THESE KEEP YOU IN PAIN:

  -  I'm afraid of becoming addicted.

     FACT: When cancer pain medicines are given and taken in the right way,
patients rarely become addicted to them. To be sure, talk to the doctor,
nurse, or pharmacist about how to use pain medicines safely.

Many patients only need pain medicines for a time, until the cause of their
pain goes away. When they are ready to stop taking the medicine, the doctor
gradually lowers the amount of medicine they take. By the time they stop using
it completely, the body has had time to adjust.

Some patients will need to take pain medicines for the long-term. Taking
medicines regularly should not make you feel like an "addict."  You are
following your doctor's advice and getting a treatment you need.


  -  I don't want to seem like a "complainer."

     FACT: You have a right to ask for pain relief. In fact, telling the
doctor or nurse about pain is what all patients SHOULD do. The sooner you
speak up, the better. It's often easier to control pain in its early stages,
before it becomes severe. 


  -  I don't want to lose control.

     FACT: Most people do not get "high" or lose control when they take cancer
pain medicines in the right way. You may feel sleepy when you first take some
pain medicines, but this feeling often goes away after a few days.

A few people get dizzy or feel confused when they take cancer pain medicines.
Tell the doctor or nurse if this happens to you. Changing your dose or type of
medicine usually can solve the problem.


Taking Care of Pain Is Important. It Helps You Feel Stronger And Cope Better
With Your Cancer.

     Pain can cause:

  -  Tiredness

  -  Depression

  -  Anger

  -  Worry

  -  Loneliness

  -  Stress

     Pain can interfere with:

  -  Daily activities

  -  Interest in work and hobbies

  -  Sleeping

  -  Eating

  -  Enjoying friends and family

  -  Enjoying life

Help yourself by asking your doctor or nurse for pain relief when you need it.
It's your right. Then find out how to take your medicines safely, and follow
your doctor's advice. It's your role in getting the best cancer care.

For more details on cancer pain relief or other cancer-related information,
call the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service at
1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) or the American Cancer Society at
1-800-ACS-2345 (1-800-227-2345).##


Get Relief From Cancer Pain was adapted from Cancer Pain Relief, developed by
Pamela Kedziera, RN, MSN, OCN, and Michael H. Levy, MD, PhD, at the Fox Chase
Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA.


NIH Publication No. 94-3735
May 1994
(RL-5)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health
                                    # # #

National Cancer Institute Information Resources

You may want more information for yourself, your family, and your doctor.  The
following National Cancer Institute (NCI) services are available to help you.


Telephone... 

Cancer Information Service (CIS)
Provides accurate, up-to-date information on cancer to patients and their
families, health professionals, and the general public.  Information
specialists translate the latest scientific information into understandable
language and respond in English, Spanish, or on TTY
equipment.
     Toll-free: 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237)
     TTY: 1-800-332-8615


Internet...

http://cancer.gov - Cancer.gov is the NCI s primary web site and provides
immediate access to critical cancer information and resources. It contains
material for health professionals, patients, and the public, including
information from PDQ about cancer treatment, screening, prevention, genetics,
supportive care, and clinical trials, and CANCERLIT, a bibliographic database. 
Cancer.gov also includes information on understanding trials, deciding whether
to participate in trials, finding specific trials, plus research news and
other resources.


E-mail... 

CancerMail 
Includes NCI information about cancer treatment, screening, prevention,
genetics, and supportive care. To obtain a contents list, send e-mail to
cancermail@cips.nci.nih.gov with the word "help" in the body of the message.


Fax... 

CancerFax 
Includes NCI information about cancer treatment, screening, prevention,
genetics, and supportive care.  To obtain a contents list, dial 301-402-5874
or 1-800-624-2511 from a touch-tone telephone or fax machine hand set and
follow the recorded instructions.




Date Last Modified: 09/1994

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