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Symptom Specific Services
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Pain
• Will
I experience pain?
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What causes pain?
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What are the goals at Continuum Cancer Centers of New York
for treating pain?
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How can I get pain relief?
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Types of pain medicine
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How is pain medicine given?
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What is breakthrough pain?
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Reducing pain without drugs
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Can Radiation Oncology help with pain
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What are common concerns for patients who experience cancer
pain?
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How can I benefit from the specialized services of the Department
of Pain Medicine?
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How to evaluate and describe your own pain
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Other useful tips
How can
I benefit from the specialized services of the Department
of Pain Medicine?
Continuum Cancer Centers of New York is committed to offering
its patients the most advanced pain management options available.
We believe that providing relief from pain is an integral
part of providing care.
The Department of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care is composed
of a team of multidisciplinary specialists who work with you
to assess and treat cancer pain. The multidisciplinary team
that staff this program includes neurologists, board-certified
pain anesthesiologists, rehabilitation medicine physicians,
psychologists, advance practice nurses, and physical therapists.
Based on a careful assessment, the team offers a treatment
approach tailored to your diagnosis and specific physical
and psychosocial condition. The goals are to reduce pain,
improve function, enhance quality of life and reduce dependence
on the health care system.
Treatment approaches include:
• Expertise in drug therapy
for pain, including non-opioid and opioid drugs.
• Psychological therapy,
including cognitive approaches such as biofeedback and hypnosis,
and formal psychotherapy.
• Access to rehabilitative
therapies, including physical therapy and occupational therapy.
Treatment with analgesic modalities such as transcutaneous
electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and ultrasound are other
possible rehabilitative therapies.
• Minimally invasive pain-relieving
treatments, including myofascial trigger point injections,
nerve blocks, spinal infusions using implanted pumps, and
spinal stimulators.
• Access to complementary
approaches, including acupuncture and massage.
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How to evaluate and describe
your own pain
Remember that the most important thing you can do to relieve
your pain is to tell your doctor or nurse about it right away.
It is a good idea for you or a family member to record on
a daily basis all information about your pain. On the day
you go to the doctor, you may not be having pain and may not
remember the specific details. Writing down answers to the
following questions about your pain daily will help your doctor
understand how you are feeling and the best way to treat you.
Keep a record of answers to the following questions:
1)Where is your pain located? Be sure to note all the places
where you feel pain.
2) How would you describe your pain? Words like "discomfort"
or "hurt" don't really give your doctor the necessary
information. It is important to be more precise. Is it sharp?
Shooting? Burning? Do you experience numbness? Does it feel
different at different times? Here are some other words that
may be helpful for you to describe your pain:
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