Mesothelioma patients often experience pain during their timeline. If the pain keeps recurring or lasts a long time, it’s considered chronic. Besides tumors pressing on nerves, tissues, bones, or other body parts and causing discomfort, there are several other reasons the patient may be experiencing pain. Learn about the different types of pain from cancer, treatment, or other reasons and what to expect from it.
When a patient experiences aches and discomfort caused by mesothelioma or other cancer, it’s usually because the tumors have grown large enough to press on tissues, nerves, organs, or bones. For tumors to cause noticeable pain, mesothelioma has to be in later stages, although some patients may notice symptoms earlier. Type of cancer and tumor location will also affect pain levels. Treatments like chemotherapy are other factors that cause discomfort and aches in patients. Some mesothelioma medications may cause burning sensations in the injection spot, or a person may experience pain after surgery or radiation, as both can cause soreness and skin irritation.
There are several ways a person can cope with or manage symptoms of pain. Coping techniques depend on where the discomfort is and how often it happens. The doctor can recommend treatment, medication, or therapy to help manage this mesothelioma symptom after an examination.
Cancer or related treatments aren’t the only reasons a person may experience aches in the body. Other reasons someone may feel pain include:
Tell your doctor if you think you’re experiencing pain for any of these reasons.
Pain from cancer or other conditions can be either acute or chronic. When it’s acute, it’s usually caused by an injury and tends to last a short period. If pain develops after surgery, for example, it’s most likely caused by the operation and will disappear when the wound has healed. One type of acute pain is incidental, for instance when bandages are removed, the patient may experience intense pain for a short time.
Chronic pain is more severe and can be caused by a number of changes in the body. Some changes can include nerve damage from tumors pressing on them. Chronic issues can last long after injury or treatment has ended. Level of discomfort can be mild or severe and can affect the patient most or all of the time.
To determine the cause of pain and whether treatment is necessary, the doctor must first know where it’s coming from. Aches from cancer can affect bones, nerves, soft tissues, or mental health.
Also called somatic pain, it happens when tumors grow and spread to the bone. One area of the bone may be affected, or tumors may have spread to multiple spots, causing pain in more than one location.
This type of pain is also called neuropathic and is caused by pressure on the nerves or spinal cord. Neuropathic pain can also be caused by nerve damage.
Pain originating from soft tissue comes from an organ or muscle. This type is harder to pinpoint, but it can be characterized by a sharp, cramping, aching, or throbbing discomfort.
When an area or part of the body is removed, sometimes a patient may experience phantom aches. Doctors theorize that this happens because the brain can’t quite comprehend the loss of a body part. One example is a person who’s had a leg amputated but still feels pain where the leg once was.
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Depending on the type of pain and where it’s located, the doctor will recommend specific ways to treat it. A doctor may suggest the following methods:
There are medicines available that the doctor can prescribe to alleviate discomfort. Over-the-counter options may also help and don’t need a prescription. Regardless of whether you need a prescription medicine or not, talk to your doctor before ingesting anything for relief.
Also known as palliative care, medical procedures meant for pain management may also be an option. Surgery is often used to remove tumors that are pressing on nerves and causing discomfort. Chemotherapy and radiation are also used in palliative care to help patients manage.
Several cancer patients may experience feelings of depression and anxiety among other things that can add to the physical pain experienced. When a patient has negative feelings or emotions, this can drain the body of energy or strength that helps them cope with aches and discomfort from cancer. If a person has good results with a psychiatrist, this could help the patient manage their physical aches better as well.
People have seen results with therapies like acupuncture, massage, and hypnosis. Patients have also reported cancer symptom relief in complementary therapies like yoga and meditation.
Your doctor will be able to map out a treatment plan to help you cope with cancer pain if it becomes unmanageable. Tell your doctor before you consider complementary treatments.
Some acute discomfort will go away on its own. When pain is chronic or accompanied by other symptoms, call your doctor. Let someone know if there is:
These changes should tell you and your doctor that something is different. Your doctor will be able to administer tests to figure out if the pain is serious. It can be challenging for doctors to pinpoint the exact cause in some situations, but they’ll be able to tell you if it’s something to worry about and what you can do about it.
Jennifer Verta thrives as a digital content writer at Mesothelioma Hub. She has been producing content for clients since before she graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a Minor in English Writing. Jen’s mission is to help promote awareness of mesothelioma to as many people as possible by providing only the most up-to-date and accurate content available. When she isn’t cranking the gears at work, Jen can be found snowboarding, hiking, catching live music, or socializing with friends.
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Cancer Treatment Centers of America. The Psychiatrist: The Doctor You Didn’t Expect to Need on Your Cancer Journey. Retrieved on February 5th, 2020, from https://www.cancercenter.com/community/blog/2017/04/the-psychiatrist-the-doctor-you-didnt-expect-to-need-on-your-cancer-journey
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