Austin, Texas, is a large city with outstanding medical facilities, including hospital and specialty clinics. It is a city where you would expect to find one of the world’s foremost experts on cancer pain and palliative care. Cancers are some of the deadliest diseases known to man, and a prevalent side effect of cancer is excruciating pain. If you live in the city and have cancer, you should visit an Austin cancer pain specialist. They will give you ways on how to best manage pain from cancer, such as:
Nerve Blocks
These are shots that will block pain messages to the brain. They can be done in the arm, leg, or around the spine. Nerve blocks will significantly reduce pain for up to 48 hours.
Anti-inflammatory Painkillers
Anti-inflammatory Painkillers are the most common type of painkiller prescribed for cancer, but they come with side effects. This drug can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease long term. However, if you are suffering from nerve pain, it is definitely worth a try.
Opioids
Examples of opioid painkillers include codeine and morphine. They are used to treat moderate to severe cancer pain. Since they can cause drowsiness, it is advised that patients should not drive or operate heavy machinery while taking them. Also, there may be an increased risk of opioid addiction so take that into consideration before taking this medication.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that can treat cancer pain in the ribs, legs, arms, and spine. A probe is inserted into the body to heal nervous tissue, limiting nerve conduction and blocking pain signals from being sent to the brain. Radiofrequency ablation has a low risk of side effects and has been shown to reduce pain by an average of 78%.
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy
People who suffer from cancer pain often experience pain in the bones. To help with this,
stereotactic body radiation therapy can be used. The procedure utilizes precise doses of radiation to the cancerous area, which will damage pain receptors in the surrounding tissue. The treatment is usually used in conjunction with other pain treatments.
Intrathecal (spinal) Injections
This procedure is used on cancer patients who continue to have pain despite taking strong medications. The injection goes into the fluid located around the spinal cord, and it contains powerful opiate medication that will affect both the brain and nervous system.
Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy
Whole-brain radiation therapy is a common treatment for people with severe or persistent pain caused by advanced cancer. Whole-brain radiation therapy causes the release of endorphins which are natural painkillers that can also provide feelings of warmth and euphoria.
Spinal Cord Stimulation
Spinal cord stimulation is another minimally invasive treatment that has effectively provided pain relief. Using electrodes sends electrical currents to the dorsal root ganglion of the spinal cord, which will block pain messages from being sent to the brain. The patient can adjust how much pain they want to reduce by adjusting the electrical current used. This treatment has a low rate of side effects and is recommended for patients who continue to experience pain despite taking opioid medications.
People with cancer experience terrible pain, which is devastating as it can affect their quality of life. Many treatments are available to help manage cancer pain, such as nerve blocks, opioid medications, radiofrequency ablation, stereotactic body radiation therapy, intrathecal injections, and whole-brain radiation therapy.
