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Common Cancer Pains |
Common Cancer PainsThe psychological series of chemical and electrical events in the body results in pain.
The bare nerve endings of the pain receptors are widely distributed in the body, especially in skin and mucous membranes. These pain receptors when triggered by thermal, mechanical or chemical stimuli transmit pain signals through the nerves to spinal cord, which then passes these signals to the brain.
Cancer pain will depend on the type of cancer, stage of the disease and tolerance of the patient. A patient can get pain in cancer due to –
- Infection
- Inflammation
- Poor circulation due to blocked blood vessels
- Bone fracture due to metastasis
- Emotional or psychological distress
- Tumor placed in a position that causes pressure on a particular nerve.
- Cancer treatment side effects that can be due to chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
If cancer pain is mainly due to the tumor placing pressure on nerve and causing pain, then it is treated by reducing or removing the tumor. However if the pain is due to other reasons then it can be treated by other methods like using drugs or acupuncture.
Not every cancer patient will experience pain, and pain is not a sign for cancer diagnosis at an early stage, but it might increase as the disease progresses.
Pain in cancer can occur in different parts of the body. Various studies have shown that 30% of the cancer patients experience pain no matter which stage of cancer they are in, and 90 % of cancer patients with advanced stage experience severe pain.
Pain is common in cancer patients with bone metastasis; 60-80% of cancer patients where tumors metabolize the bone experience pain. The second common reason for pain is tumors infiltrating the nerve and hollow viscus (especially the tumors near neural structures).
The third most common pain is associated with cancer treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery).
Some psychological signs may be produced due to pain such as rapid heart rate, grimacing, sweating or rapid breathing. Patients with chronic pain (pain that lasts for more than 3 months) may not display any psychological symptoms due to which chronic pain is often untreated.
Chronic cancer painChronic cancer pain can often change a persons quality of life, ability to perform and personality altogether. Treating chronic cancer pain is often a challenge for specialists. Chronic cancer pain can be of two types, persistent pain that is continuous and may last for the whole day or breakthrough pain that is a brief pain that occurs quickly and last for few minutes to an hour (even if the patient is on medication for pain).
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