Cancer pain
GET YOUR LIFE BACK !
DVPSI specializes in the treatment
of acute and chronic pain through
minimally invasive, innovative strategies.
Cancer pain
Among patients with cancer, pain is one of the most feared symptoms. Pain may occur in greater than fifty percent of patients with cancer. Physical pain may lead to impaired function, psychological distress, and interruption in daily activities. Pain can occur as a result of the cancer itself or from the cancer treatments such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Strategies for treating cancer pain include medical management, psychological support, palliative care, and procedures.
Our office provides treatments with the following:
- Intrathecal Drug Delivery/ Spinal medication infusions
- Epidural Injections and infusions
- Celiac Plexus Blocks
- Hypogastric Plexus Blocks
- Stellate Ganglion Blocks
- Peripheral Nerve Blocks
Types of Cancer Pain:
Cancer pain may be acute lasting only a few days or chronic lasting weeks to months. Breakthrough pain is a sudden flare-up in pain, which may require special medications to treat. Pain is further divided into neuropathic (related to the nerves) and nociceptive (related to tissue injury). Each pain type requires a unique set of treatments. Accurate diagnosis of the pain is essential for appropriate treatment.
Common Causes of Cancer Pain:
Pain From the Tumor:
Cancer can grow locally to invade structures such as bones, nerves, tissue and organs. Cancer can also metastasize and invade structures remote from the actual cancer. The pain may vary depending on the structure involved.
Pain From Treatment:
Cancer treatment includes chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. While these treatments are potentially life-saving, each has its unique set of side effects. For example, chemotherapy can cause muscle pain and neuropathy (damage to the very small nerve fibers).
Post-Surgical Pain:
Following surgery, pain occurs as a result of tissue injury and subsequent inflammation. In most circumstances, this pain improves as the tissue heals.
