What does cancer pain management treat?

A pain team looks at where pain occurs, how it feels, what brings it on and how it affects sleep, movement and mood. Cancer pain can come from a tumour pressing on tissue, bone metastases, nerve irritation or inflammation. Treatment-related pain may include chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, which can cause burning, tingling or altered sensation, and oral mucositis, which can make eating and drinking painful. Persistent bone pain and abdominal pain may also need a tailored plan.

Management can combine regular or rescue medicines, opioid pain medicines when appropriate, treatment of the underlying cancer, nerve-pain medicines, radiotherapy, physical measures and emotional support. The aim is better comfort and function, while the team watches for sleepiness, constipation, nausea, confusion and other medicine effects.

Keep a short record of pain location, intensity, timing, triggers, sleep disruption and doses taken. Tell the team if pain breaks through, prevents movement, or changes character. Take prescribed medicines on schedule when instructed, and ask before adding a non-prescription medicine or stopping an opioid suddenly. Mention constipation, nausea, dizziness, numbness and difficulty swallowing so the plan can be adjusted safely.

Contact your cancer team promptly when pain is new, rapidly worsening, no longer controlled, or accompanied by weakness, numbness or difficulty walking. Seek emergency help for severe pain with loss of bladder or bowel control, sudden confusion, extreme sleepiness, trouble breathing, chest pain or repeated vomiting. Mouth pain with inability to drink also needs prompt assessment.

What is the likely source of my pain? Which medicine is for regular control and which is for breakthrough pain? How should I prevent constipation or nausea? Could radiotherapy, physiotherapy or nerve-pain treatment help? Which changes require an urgent call?