While pain is a common side effect of cancer and treatment, it does not mean that you have to live with it constantly. There are many causes of pain, but managing it is part of your overall treatment plan. The Canadian Cancer Society is also here to help with supportive resources and information about relieving pain.
If you or a loved one is concerned about cancer-related pain, you’re not alone. Our online support community on CancerConnection.ca has shared their helpful tips to manage pain.
1) Track your pain
Keeping a record of your pain can be very helpful when talking with your healthcare team to figure out the best ways to manage your pain. Keeping a pain diary, in a notebook or digitally, and bringing it to your medical appointments helps you and your healthcare team understand how your pain is changing over time and decide on the next steps.
Download our pain and medication diary templates to help you keep track of how you’re feeling.
When assessing pain, some things to keep track of are:
- the kind of pain you’re feeling and where you’re feeling it
- the level of pain you’re experiencing
- how you’ve been managing it
- dates, times and events related to when the pain began, got worse or got better
2) Take care of everyday needs that can affect pain
Pain often doesn’t exist on its own. Everyday needs like eating, drinking enough fluids, resting, and taking pain medicine on time can all influence how intense pain or discomfort feels. Checking in with your needs throughout the day can help you notice small things that may be making pain worse.
Pay attention to your comfort and control the things you can, whether that’s using heat or cold to relieve some pain, sleeping in a room with your preferred temperature or resting in your favourite comfortable spot.
3) Work with your healthcare team to learn about pain management therapies that work for you
Managing pain can involve a mix of different methods. Your healthcare team can guide you through different ways to deal with pain.
There are different types of pain medicines that are useful in treating different types or causes of pain. Non-opioids, opioids and adjuvant analgesics are the 3 main types of drugs used to manage pain related to cancer. It can take a few weeks to find the right drug and dose to control pain with few side effects.
In some cases, more aggressive or invasive methods may be needed to relieve severe pain. Surgery, an epidural anesthetic, nerve blocks and neurostimulators are some examples of medical therapies for pain.
Complementary therapies can also be used along with standard treatment to help with pain. These methods draw your attention away from the pain and release muscle tension caused by pain. Examples of complementary therapy include acupuncture, massage therapy or cannabis for medical purposes.
Your healthcare team might be able to refer you to qualified complementary therapy practitioners who have worked with people with cancer. Some complementary therapies should not be used at the same time as cancer treatments or medicines, so always talk to your healthcare team beforehand if you are thinking about using complementary therapies to manage pain.
4) Try light physical activity when you can
When you’re living with cancer-related pain, being active might not seem important. You might be worried that physical activity will make your pain worse, but when you exercise, your body releases chemicals that have a similar effect as a powerful pain reliever.
Physical activity can include light and gentle ways to get your body moving, like walking, yoga and stretching. Pain might stop you from using certain parts of your body, which can lead to muscle or joint stiffness. A physiotherapist or occupational therapist can help treat these problems and guide you through movements to prevent further pain. Talk to your healthcare team about choosing the right physical activity for you.
5) Use mind-body connections to manage pain
Psychological methods are mind-body therapies that use the power of the brain to help ease physical and emotional pain. They include meditation, guided imagery and relaxation techniques.
Meditation can help reduce pain, stress and anxiety by quieting your mind. By becoming more relaxed, you can become less focused on your pain. Guided imagery can help you cope with pain when you imagine a peaceful environment or think of a happy memory. Relaxation techniques such as belly breathing can reduce your pain or keep it from getting worse by removing tension in your muscles. It may also help you sleep, cope with stress, give you more energy and reduce anxiety. Listen to our relaxation recordings.
6) Ask for help
Living with pain is very tiring. Focus on using your energy on your most important tasks. It’s okay to ask for help with other tasks or for emotional support.
It can also help to talk about your feelings with people who understand what you’re going through. To connect with others who understand what you’re going through, join CancerConnection.ca, our online community of people living with cancer, caregivers and survivors.
Dealing with pain when you have cancer is difficult, but you are not alone. We provide a support system for people affected by cancer and we’re here to help. Find helpful pain relief information on cancer.ca, talk to a cancer information specialist through our Cancer Information Helpline and join our online support community on CancerConnection.ca.