Breast cancer comes with different levels of pain. It could be mild, severe, short-term, and long-lasting. This is as a result of the treatment and chemotherapy sessions that a patient has to undergo, the radiation involved, and medications. Sometimes cancer may extend to other parts of the body, and this causes more pain. In some cases, you may fail to recognize you have cancer until it hits its last stage. In case of a lack of diagnosis, you might have to hold the doctor accountable. Seeking help is vital for you and your family. You can seek free consultation here to get justice for the pain and emotional suffering you and your loved ones have suffered. The discomfort and pain that come with breast cancer treatment will not only affect you but the people close to you too. Therefore, it is essential to know how you can cope with the pain. Here are effective ways.
Causes of Cancer Pain
During the early stages of breast cancer, you do not feel a lot of pain. However, you may have other issues like breast tenderness, discomfort, and swelling. With advanced cancer, more than 70% of the patients experience severe pain. This is due to the spread of cancer to other body parts. The tumor presses the bones, nerves, and organs triggering the pain. The pain can also be a result of the treatments like radiotherapy, surgery, and chemotherapy that could impact your life.
Treating Pain Due to Advanced Cancer
Individuals with progressive cancer, normally stage IV, experience intense pain. This is more severe in parts where cancer has already spread. Mostly, breast cancer affects various areas like the liver, lungs, brain, and bones. The specialist will recommend physical therapy, nerve blocks, opioid medication, and others.
Treating Radiation Pain
During radiation therapy, a patient gets exposed to certain levels of radiation that target the cancer cells. Unfortunately, other parts of the body can be affected by the radiations causing pain and discomfort. This pain can be treated by nerve blocks and spinal cord stimulation.
Treating Chemotherapy Pain
Chemotherapy is the most effective way of treating cancer and has been in use for many years. Even though this treatment is highly effective, it is also known to affect other cells around the affected area. This can cause pain around those areas, stomach pain, and even nerve damage. The great thing is that there are various solutions for treating chemotherapy pain. Such include:
- Steroid injections
- Nerve blocks
- Physical massage and therapy
- Opioid medicines
- Pain relievers like Naproxen
- Acupuncture and more
Sometimes the doctor can recommend extra options for managing pain depending on the severity and source of the pain. Remember, treating pain is part of the entire cancer treatment. Therefore, it is vital to talk with your doctor about the pain. Communicate with them, and make sure you note down any changes you experience with your body.
Conclusion
Pain is common when breast cancer extends to other parts of your body, and regardless of the stage of cancer, the pain you experience will affect you. Therefore, learn about the types of pain, their causes, and how to relieve the pain. Remember, you don’t deserve to live in pain, and undergoing breast cancer treatment should not be a reason to.