Which specialist performs cancer pain management?

Palliative medicine specialists assess where pain is felt, how it behaves, what worsens it, and how it affects sleep, movement, mood, and daily tasks. They may recommend medicines, physical approaches, nerve procedures, psychological support, or changes to cancer treatment. Care can begin at any stage of cancer and can be provided alongside treatment intended to control the cancer.

Pain care is often shared with medical, radiation, or surgical oncology, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy, and other services. The plan is reviewed when pain changes, side effects occur, or your goals change. You should be able to discuss comfort, alertness, mobility, and activities that matter to you.

Keep a brief record of pain location, severity, timing, triggers, sleep disruption, and what helps. List every medicine, including non-prescription products, and describe side effects such as constipation, nausea, dizziness, or sleepiness. Tell the team if pain prevents eating, washing, walking, or resting.

Take medicines exactly as prescribed and ask before changing the dose. Ask about a bowel plan when opioid medicines are prescribed, safe storage, missed doses, and who to contact outside clinic hours. Non-drug measures may complement medicine but should not replace advice for new or severe pain.

Seek urgent help for sudden severe pain, new weakness or numbness, loss of bladder or bowel control, confusion, extreme sleepiness, difficulty breathing, chest pain, or pain after a fall. Contact your oncology or palliative care team promptly when pain breaks through the plan, prevents sleep or movement, or comes with fever, repeated vomiting, or new swelling.

Who will lead my pain plan? What is causing this pain, and does it need a scan or other assessment? What is the goal of each treatment? How quickly should it help? Which side effects need action? Who should I call if the plan stops working at night or on a weekend?