Vaginal Cancer Treatments – Pain Management

Pain Management for Vaginal Cancer

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), our whole-person approach to vaginal cancer treatment means as you undergo conventional therapies, we work to ensure your comfort and help you maintain a normal quality of life. We offer a variety of therapeutic approaches to help ease any pain you may experience, either as a result of the disease process itself or from related treatments.

Cancer pain may be classified as either acute or chronic. Acute pain generally results from tissue damage and is of limited duration (i.e., three months or less). It differs from chronic pain because it is easier to identify and successfully manage. Chronic pain, on the other hand, is persistent and usually lasts for greater than three months in duration. Because the cause of chronic pain often cannot be altered, your nervous system may adapt, which in turn may cause depression, anxiety and/or insomnia.

Causes of Pain

Many patients in advanced stages of vaginal cancer may experience pain during the course of their disease. Pain can result from the disease process itself, and/or from vaginal cancer treatments such as surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.

The type and severity of pain you may experience during your vaginal cancer treatment depends on many factors, from the stage of the vaginal cancer to the location of metastases, to your age, personality, pain threshold, and past experiences with pain. Psychological factors can also influence pain. Fear, anxiety and insomnia can lower the pain threshold, while rest, sleep and diversion can improve comfort levels during vaginal cancer treatment.

At CTCA, we understand everyone experiences cancer pain differently. Here, we provide the personalized attention and support you need to help manage pain.

Pain Assessment

An accurate assessment of your pain experience helps your CTCA pain management team determine which pain management techniques might be best for your vaginal cancer treatment. A comprehensive assessment includes information about the following dimensions of your pain:

• Location
• Intensity
• Factors influencing its occurrence (i.e., what makes it better or worse)
• Observed behaviors during pain
• Psychosocial variables (e.g., attitudes, situational factors)
• Effects of therapy and patterns of coping

Pain Management Program at CTCA

At CTCA, we incorporate different pain management techniques into your vaginal cancer treatment plan. Our goal is to not only provide relief from pain, but to help you maintain your normal quality of life during treatment. Our methods of pain management attempt to either control the cause of the pain or alter your perception of it.

Your pain management specialists will use several therapeutic approaches to pain management, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain control. Pharmacological pain control involves the use of analgesics (pain medications), as well as other medications that intensify the analgesics' effects or modify your mood or pain perception.

The following are non-pharmacological approaches your CTCA care team may incorporate into your vaginal cancer treatment:

• Behavioral techniques
• Emotional counseling and support
• Radiation
• Neurological and neurosurgical interventions
• Traditional nursing and psychosocial interventions

The latter approaches attempt to promote your comfort during vaginal cancer treatment and evaluate the effectiveness of the therapy. Because of the complex nature of cancer-related pain, successful management usually involves integrating several different techniques into your vaginal cancer treatment plan.

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