Pain is often one of the most troubling side effects of cancer. It can be mild, moderate or severe. Almost all cancer patients experience some kind of pain. Keeping the cancer patient as comfortable as possible is always optimal.
Causes
Pain caused by cancer comes from blocked blood vessels, bone fractures, infection, inflammation, chemotherapy and/or a tumor pressing on a nerve. Emotional pain is also experienced, and it is as very real as physical pain.
Symptoms
A cancer patient may show visible signs of pain that can include grimacing, rapid heartbeats, sweating and rapid breathing. Communication with the patient and the doctor is imperative in treating and controlling the pain.
Prevalence
About 30 percent of all cancer patients feel pain, and 90 percent of patients with advanced cancer experience severe pain, according to an article on Oncology Channel.com, reviewed by Dr. Stanley J. Swierzewski III in December, 2007. But, the article goes on to say, as many as 50 percent of cancer patients are under-treated for their pain.
Effects
Cancer pain can effect the patient in many ways. It can disrupt daily life and activities, it can cause changes in personality and mood swings, and it can affect a person's ability to function.
Breakthrough Pain
Breakthrough pain is a brief but painful flare up of pain even when the patient is being treated for pain. It usually comes on quickly and lasts from a few minutes to an hour. Some experience breakthrough pain several times during a 24-hour period.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing the pain can sometimes be difficult. It can often take several weeks before a tumor can show up on an X-ray. Every case and every patient is different.
Tags: cancer patients, cancer patient, percent cancer, percent cancer patients
