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Uncontrolled cell growth characterizes cancer, causing damage to healthy tissues. Seeking medical attention for discomfort is vital, even if not all cancer patients experience pain. Consulting a specialist is crucial for tailored pain management solutions. Neglecting cancer-related pain can hinder daily life and lead to emotional distress, worsening overall well-being.
Patients experiencing this type of ailment typically suffer from sharp or stabbing pains, which are constant or permanent, as there is already damage to body tissues. This discomfort may result from the spread of cancer in the bones or other tissues, as well as a blockage in an artery.
Cancer pain, characterized by sensations of heaviness, numbness, and burning, may indicate nerve damage from tumor compression. Selecting analgesics is essential for symptom management. While treatments targeting the underlying pathology can help, they may inadvertently worsen pain. Hence, exploring methods to alleviate discomfort is crucial. Though complete pain elimination may not be feasible, significant reduction is achievable with specialist guidance.
When the tumor compresses the spinal cord, people may experience discomfort in the back and neck areas, which can become chronic. Other symptoms, such as numbness and weakness in the arms and legs, may also occur. It is essential to seek medical attention when this feeling of pressure on the spinal cord arises because untreated cancer pain may lead to problems in the bladder or intestinal area.
The pain that is generated in the bones originate because cancer causes it to spread to these structures, thus affecting their functionality. Many times the treatments to fight this pathology, such as radiotherapy, can affect the external protection of the bones. Another reason why bone pain may occur is because of certain medications used to prevent the loss of white blood cells in the body.
After surgery to treat cancer, the patient may have pain that can last for a few weeks or only days. In these cases, minor treatment should be considered to relieve cancer pain.
While this treatment can be valuable in battling cancer, it may also lead to side effects causing pain for the patient. These discomforts, including numbness, weakness, and difficulty walking, can arise due to peripheral nerve damage from treatment or other diseases like vitamin deficiencies. Regardless of the cause, seeking immediate assistance from a specialist is crucial for recommending the ideal procedure to combat cancer pain.
This procedure is indicated in those patients who have pancreatic cancer, one of the most challenging types of cancer to treat. To combat the pain that the patient presents, the specialists use this method, where the nerve fibers that cause the discomfort that occurs in the abdomen are blocked, thus preventing these signals from being sent to the brain. With this type of technique, it has been proven that patients present minor ranges of pain.
Patients who have chronic perineal pain due to cancer may opt for this treatment. The odd ganglion is responsible for receiving innervation of areas such as the urethra, rectum, perineum, scrotum, among others. The discomforts that occur are associated with the need to defecate; to combat this discomfort, different procedures can be used. Some of them are ganglion blockage, cryotherapy, or radiofrequency.
This procedure involves injecting medication into the upper plexus to block pain fibers affecting areas such as the vagina, bladder, prostate, penis, rectum, or colon. The anesthesia administered blocks nerve signals, providing relief from pain. Seeking immediate medical attention for any discomfort is crucial, as ailments can be addressed before, during, and after cancer treatment procedures. Effective management of cancer pain requires the expertise of a specialist to ensure adequate treatment and relief.
DR. ATEEQ UR REHMAN GHAFOOR
MBBS, MRCS, FCAI, FIPP, FFMPCAI
CCST Anaesthesia & Pain Medicine
Consultant Pain Medicine
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