1. Who gets cancer and what is cancer pain?
   Unfortunately, people in the United States develop cancer for a variety of reasons. The cancer tissue cells may invade bones, nerves, organs and other structures in the body. The pressure on or the destruction of normal tissue may cause severe pain.
   1. What kind of pain is associated with cancer?
      Cancer pain should be viewed as a symptom, which may be present alone or in combination with other benign processes.
   
   
   2. New Cancer Pain: Secondary to direct tumor growth, diagnostic-therapeutic procedures, surgical post-operative pain, chemotherapy and radiation induced pain and along with generalized pain associated with cancer like headaches and muscle aches.
   
   
   3. Metastatic Pain and Cancer: Progression of the cancer in the body may cause painful distant sites of spread of the original tumor. These may activate pain pathways and signal mediators of inflammation and pain.
   
   
   4. Chronic Benign Pain: Pre-existing conditions with pain (ie arthritis, back strain, spinal stenosis)
      
   
   
2. What should I do if my doctor tells me I have cancer?
   Seek treatment as rapidly as possible. This will offer the best chance for cure. Your doctor will provide you with adequate pain medicine and suggest treatment for your condition. Most pain can be well-controlled if treated early. Occasionally, the treatments for curing the cancer may involve complications, which will temporarily increase pain and depression. These additional sources of pain, anxiety and depression need to be addressed.
   


3. My pain is still not controlled. What should I do?
   Inform your physician that you are not leaving their care, but you would like the assistance of a Pain Management Specialist to assist in your treatment.
   


4. What modalities can the pain specialist offer?
   Your doctor will obtain a history and perform a physical examination. Each patient is an individual with different needs.

5. Therapy may consist of:
   
   
   1. Addition of opioid-narcotics, sedatives and new classes of medications used in pain treatments to treat depression, pain and anxiety.
   
   
   2. Recommend chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery to shrink or remove the tumor and decrease the pain.
   
   
   3. Pain control injections at the source of the pain designed to diagnose, treat and relieve the pain. Cancer pain and any associated pain will be treated.
   
   
   4. Nutritional supplementation coupled with wellness products may be helpful in treating this condition. Ask your doctor for a program.