Thyroid Cancer Pain Management & Control

Pain Management for Thyroid Cancer 

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), we understand that each patient experiences pain differently. Because unrelieved pain can have such a powerful impact on your quality of life, our pain management practitioners will take as much time as needed to fully understand your condition.

We assess your pain using a variety of tools, including pain management scales and symptom tracking methods. We also 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 clinicians will work with you throughout your thyroid cancer treatment to find the right combination of treatments and techniques to ensure you receive the pain relief you need.

Finding the Right Pain Management Strategy for You

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

• Prescribed medications
• Implanted pain pumps
• Nerve block therapies
• Radiation therapy
• Surgery
• 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 to find the pain control methods that are 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, and help you focus on healing.

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 medication, your pain management clinician will work with other members of your CTCA thyroid cancer care team to find the appropriate options to manage your pain.

• Naturopathic clinicians use natural therapies to help you combat pain control and manage the side effects of pain medication.
• The oncology rehabilitation team plays a key role in 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 is available to teach you relaxation tools to help you manage pain, and to reduce the anxiety and fatigue related to cancer or cancer treatment.

Next Topic: Naturopathic Medicine for Thyroid Cancer