Pain management

Pain isn’t an inevitable part of cancer, but it is a real possibility. Most pain can be controlled or relieved. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of pain and about available medicines so you can plan ahead. It’s easier to control pain when it starts rather than waiting until it becomes severe. There’s no need to tough it out. Discuss with your medical team how to manage as-needed dosages and any concerns you have about side effects and the possibilities of becoming dependent on pain medication.

When describing your pain

• Keep track of your pain, using the commonly used pain scale 1 (not much at all) to 10 (extreme pain)

• Be specific about where it hurts and what it feels like

• Explain exactly when

pain starts and stops