Pain control

Pain is a complex symptom, impacting on the quality of life and psychology of the cancer patient. Pain in cancer can be a consequence of the disease itself, or it can result from treatments, including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Although pain generally occurs relatively late in the natural course of the disease, it is the most common symptom in cancer, present in 30-40% of patients at diagnosis, 40-70% at the initiation of treatment and 70-90% of patients during the terminal phase. The prevalence of pain depends on the type of tumour and ranges from 52% in patients with lung cancer to 5% in patients with leukaemia.

Types of pain

Direct tumour invasion - 77-80% of cases: bone invasion, spinal cord compression, etc;
Pain associated with cancer treatments or post-treatment persistence - 15-25%
Pain caused by debility (complex, chronic pain) - < 10%;
Pain not related to cancer or cancer treatment (of unknown cause) - 3-5%.

Depending on the clinical description, pain can be:

Nociceptive: well localized, dull, tingling (e.g. bone, soft tissue);
Visceral: deep, diffuse, severe, possibly transmitted;
Involving deep organs: spastic, colicky;
Neuropathic: sudden, flashing, like an electric shock, associated with paresthesia or dysesthesia (like a burn);
Psychosomatic: whole body pain, fluctuating location, no information on exact location, torturing, destructive;
Sympathetic: non-segmental, associated with thermal sensations, dysesthesia, like a burning, independent of movement, associated with trophic disturbances.

Pain assessment is essential for satisfactory analgesia and comprises six basic principles:

Pain is a subjective symptom, it has the intensity and character described by the patient;
Pain should be carefully investigated: history, examination, clinical and paraclinical investigations;
Each location and type of pain reported by the patient should be investigated;
The true extent of the cancerous disease needs to be known;
All factors that influence the perception of pain will be addressed: psychological, social, cultural, spiritual;
Periodically, pain should be reassessed.

Cancer pain can, however, be controlled. The best therapeutic strategy for pain control is one that is carried out by the patient in collaboration with the medical team. Support to treat pain is necessary in certain cases, depending on the stage of the disease, when pain can be very severe.

Pain can almost always be relieved if:

What do we offer?

At the Amethyst clinic, we assure you that from the very beginning of the Oncology Commission, we develop the most effective therapeutic strategy to combat pain. At the same time, the medical team makes sure you have information about pain relief methods and pain control techniques such as relaxation and biofeedback. Pain is treated as part of the disease, which is why its management plays an important role in the healing process. Our medical team is with you every step of the way to ensure proper pain management.

București

Phone: 021.9368
Address: no 42, Drumul Odăi, Otopeni

Cluj-Napoca

Phone: 021.9368
Address: no 486G, Răzoare Street, Florești

Timișoara

Phone: 021.9368
Address: no 12, Bela Bartok Street, Dumbrăvița, Timiș County

Alba-Iulia

Phone: 021.9368
Address: no 10, Louis Pasteur Street, Alba-Iulia, Alba County