Cancer Pain Management

Cancer, a severe medical condition affecting millions of people worldwide, is particularly prevalent in the United States, with up to 20 million Americans experiencing some form of cancer. Prostate cancer affects approximately 3.6 million men, while breast cancer affects around 3.8 million women. One of the most challenging aspects of coping with this disease is cancer pain, a type of pain that does not fall under any other category, such as acute, chronic, or nerve pain, but is considered its own distinct form. Cancer pain can be triggered by the cancer itself or the treatments used to combat it, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or a combination of the two. The good news is that cancer pain management specialists are equipped with the expertise and resources needed to help individuals manage cancer pain and find ways to overcome it.

What is involved in cancer pain management?

Cancer pain management encompasses a thorough evaluation of the patient’s medical condition, pain levels, and the underlying cause of the pain, whether it arises from cancer or the treatments administered to combat it. This process includes a comprehensive review of the patient’s medical history and potential contraindications that the pain management specialist should take into consideration. Typically, cancer pain management incorporates various therapies that may differ from patient to patient, depending on several factors, such as the specific area of pain, the type and severity of cancer, the duration of the pain, and the patient’s lifestyle.

What is Cancer Pain?

Cancer pain is a highly challenging symptom experienced by individuals with cancer, ranging from a dull ache to an intense, burning sensation that can be extremely difficult to endure. It can also cause a host of other symptoms, including muscle weakness, nausea, diarrhea, and confusion. The causes of cancer pain are complex and may be intrinsically linked to cancer itself or result from the treatments employed to fight cancer, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. These modern cancer treatments can be very taxing on the body and often result in various complications, such as hair loss, weight loss, and damage to cells in the mouth, digestive tract, reproductive system, and bone marrow.

Treatment options for cancer pain include:

• STAR™: A revolutionary palliative treatment for cancer pain that has shown great effectiveness when used alongside other cancer treatments, as it does not interfere with them.
• Cancer Pain Pump: A targeted drug therapy that uses the ITB (Intrathecal Baclofen) Therapy pump system to distribute medication directly from a subdermal pump into the spinal cord area affected by the pain.
• Ganglion Impar Block: An injection of sympathetic nerve blocks used in certain situations to treat cancer pain.
• Splanchnic Plexus Block: An injection of pain medicine into the splanchnic nerves on both sides of the spine to manage cancer pain in the abdomen.

Additional treatments available for cancer pain include:

• Peripheral Nerve Blocks
• Pudendal Nerve Block
• Clinical Hypnotherapy
• Behavioral Health

If you are struggling with cancer pain, you don’t have to endure it alone. Help is readily accessible at Ramos Center, where we provide services at our locations in Bradenton FL, Sarasota FL, Venice FL, Englewood FL, Port Charlotte FL, Dunedin FL, and St. Petersburg, FL. Our patient base spans Bradenton FL, Sarasota FL, Palmetto FL, Laurel FL, Venice FL, Englewood FL, Cortez FL, Memphis FL, Port Charlotte FL, and Dunedin FL, and we look forward to serving you.