Cancer Pain Specialist

How does cancer cause pain?

Cancer pain, like many other types of pain, is variable and can change from day-to-day. It could interfere with your ability to work or participate in recreational activities. Cancer pain can make you irritable or isolated. However, help is available.

Cancer can cause pain in a couple of different ways. Not only can the cancer itself produce pain, but cancer treatments often cause a variety of uncomfortable symptoms, including pain.

Pain caused by a tumor

Tumors aren’t necessarily painful on their own. But as your tumor grows, it can compress other organs, tissues, and nerves in your body, which can cause pain. Additionally, if your cancer spreads to your bones, it can become painful as your bones get weaker.

Pain caused by treatment

Cancer treatments are often invasive and painful. For example, if you have surgery to remove a tumor, you need to deal with postoperative pain while you’re already in a weakened state. Additionally, chemotherapy and radiation are notoriously hard on your body, causing pain and other disruptive side effects. Chemotherapy can cause nerve damage and peripheral neuropathy. Radiation can damage soft tissue anywhere in your body. 

When should I talk to a doctor about cancer pain?

You don’t need to accept cancer pain as normal — all pain can be treated. The team at Summit Pain Alliance works with you and your oncologist to create a customized treatment plan to reduce your pain and enhance your quality of life while you fight cancer and after.

How is cancer pain treated?

The team at Summit Pain Alliance provides customized pain management programs that incorporate multidisciplinary interventional pain treatments to address your specific needs. Some of the therapies that might fit into your cancer pain management program include:

• Massage
• Acupuncture
• Physical therapy
• Celiac plexus/splanchnic nerve blocks
• Ganglion of impar blocks
• Peripheral nerve blocks
• Epidural steroid injections
• Ultrasound-guided blocks
• Intrathecal pumps
  
  

You might also benefit from counseling and alternative therapies such as yoga, mindfulness, and meditation. The team at Summit Pain Alliance wants to help you improve your quality of life and overall wellness as well as relieve your cancer pain.

If you have cancer pain, call Summit Pain Alliance, or make an appointment online today to learn more about your pain management options.