Not all pain is the same. Different conditions can cause different kinds of pain, with different characteristics. Pain can range from mild to severe. It may be steady or throbbing, stabbing or aching, pinching or burning. It can be a little bit unpleasant or totally disabling. And everything in between.
Often, one will read about cancer (malignant) and non-cancer (non-malignant) pain. Thereby, the symptom refers to its origin. But in both cases the pain can be acute or chronic. Whatever the origin, your physician may help to relieve the pain.
Cancer pain
Cancer patients often suffer from pain. It can be acute and/or chronic. The pain can be caused by:
- a tumour that presses against an organ, a nerve or on bone
- treatment procedures such as surgery, radiation or chemotherapy
- stiffness from prolonged lying down or sitting in one position
- conditions unrelated to cancer.
Untreated cancer-related pain can cause suffering, anxiety, depression and an inability to perform normal activities.
Fortunately, 80% of cancer pain can be treated easily. The remaining 20% require testing of different medication and combination of different treatments. The vast majority of cancer pain can however be treated successfully. Also cancer-related pain associated with the later stages of cancer can be managed effectively. It may result from a variety of causes and should be reassessed when necessary.
Not all people with cancer experience pain. But for those who do, it can be reassuring to know that there are many methods and options for pain relief. Learning more about these can enable you to play an active role in managing the pain you experience by working together with your healthcare team.
Non-cancer pain
Typical, chronic conditions that lead to chronic non-cancer pain and to a significant impairment in quality of life are:
- osteoarthritis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- low back pain or failed back surgery
- peripheral blood vessel disorders
- diabetic neuropathy and
- post-traumatic conditions.
But also other conditions such as amputation, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia and herpes zoster can be the underlying cause. Phantom pain is the term used to describe pain in a limb that has been amputated.
The elderly often suffer from chronic pain.
Physicians can also help in these situations. Usually they take a multidisciplinary approach, thereby taking into account the complex medical condition.
But there is more to pain than just ‘hurting’ :
- Pain often makes it difficult to sleep, leading to fatigue and irritability during the day.
- The pain may be distracting, leading to memory and concentration difficulties.
- During the day, if movement is difficult, patients may avoid movement, or move slowly and carefully, leading to atrophy of the muscles, social isolation and less frequent participation in normal daily life.
- The inability to work could also cause financial difficulties that begin to impact upon the entire family.
- Beyond the pain itself, there may be gastrointestinal disturbances caused by painkillers (see further) and a general feeling of mental dullness from some pain medications.
- There may be more stress in the patient’s relationships as sexual activity can be impractical.
So pain is often associated with sleep disturbance, isolation, hopelessness, despair and a reduced quality of life, reasons enough to talk about pain to your doctor and control pain in an early stage.
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Item code: NPR/08-0056
Date of Preparation: July 2009
