Bone Cancer Pain Management & Control

Pain Management for Bone Cancer

Many individuals with primary bone cancer, or metastatic cancer that has spread to the bone, experience bone pain at some point.

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), we understand that unrelieved pain can have a powerful impact on your quality of life and recovery. Our cancer pain management practitioners will take as much time as needed to fully understand and control your pain.

We really listen, so we’re able to identify the cause of your pain and take the appropriate steps to manage it. Our experienced team of licensed pain management practitioners will then work with you throughout your bone cancer treatment to find the right combination of therapies to help you achieve pain control.

Individualized Pain Management Strategies

The severity and prevalence of pain during your bone cancer treatment depends on many factors, such as the site and stage of the disease, and the location of metastases (where the cancer has spread). Personal factors, such as your pain threshold, past experiences with pain, age and general health can also impact your perception of pain.

At CTCA, we use a variety of treatment modalities to combat pain. Throughout your treatment for bone cancer, your pain management practitioner will continuously evaluate you to identify the source of your pain and identify the right strategy to help control it.

The goal of pain management is not only to relieve your pain, but also to help you maintain your quality of life during bone cancer treatment. Your pain management options may include:

• Prescribed medications
• Implanted pain pumps
• Nerve block therapies
• Radiation therapy
• Surgery
• Orthopedic oncology
• Physical therapy
• Acupuncture
• Auriculotherapy
• Massage therapy
• Relaxation techniques
• Guided imagery
• Chiropractic treatment

Your personal pain management clinician will work with you to individualize these options, and find the pain control methods that will be appropriate for you.

For patients staying at the hospital, “Comfort Rounds” are conducted twice weekly. During these visits, pain management practitioners thoroughly evaluate your current pain level and how your current treatment approach is working. They can then make modifications to your treatment plan to improve your quality of life.

Integrating Pain Management into Your Cancer Care 

The CTCA pain management team is fully integrated with the other disciplines offered at the hospital. In addition to pain medication, your clinician will work with other members of your bone cancer team to help you achieve pain control:

• Orthopedic oncology provides specialized orthopedic procedures to treat the disease, restore function and relieve pain.
• Naturopathic clinicians use natural therapies to help you combat pain and manage the side effects of pain medication.
• The oncology rehabilitation team plays a key role in bone cancer pain management by using a variety of physical therapy and other techniques to improve mobility and trigger the release of endorphins, which are the immune system’s natural defense against pain.
• The mind-body medicine team will teach you relaxation tools to help you manage pain, and reduce the anxiety and fatigue related to bone cancer or its treatment.

Next Topic:  Naturopathic Medicine for Bone Cancer