Explore the Cancer Pain Management Options at Dignity Health

Cancer pain management focuses on treating and managing pain related to cancer and its treatment. This includes both the physical and mental aspects of pain management. Another name for this type of service centering on relieving symptoms is palliative care. 

At Dignity Health, we take a team approach to cancer care with board-certified providers including doctors, nurses, counselors, rehabilitation specialists, and more. Get started learning about our pain management for cancer in Arizona by calling 877.437.6003 or using our Find a Doctor tool.

Reasons for Cancer Pain Management

If you’re experiencing pain from cancer symptoms or treatment, your care team can help. Your doctor may recommend pain management for the following types and causes of cancer pain:

• Acute pain, which ranges from mild to severe but may only last a short time
• Breakthrough pain, which is an intense increase in pain that can occur on its own or with an activity
• Chronic pain, which also ranges from mild to severe but lasts a long time or comes back frequently
• Pain from a tumor, the most common type of cancer pain that occurs when a tumor invades or presses on bones, nerves, organs, or the spinal cord
• Pain from treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery; it may include pain after surgery, mouth sores, and pain from nerve damage (neuropathy)

What Cancer Pain Management Offers

Common cancer pain management services include:

• Alternative or complementary therapies, including acupuncture, biofeedback, chiropractic care, hypnosis, and magnets
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy, including coping strategies, stress management techniques, and relaxation techniques
• Counseling, including individual, group, and family counseling
• Electrical stimulation, including transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
• Exercise, including light to moderate activities such as swimming, walking, and biking
• Medications, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), antiseizure drugs, antidepressants, corticosteroids, narcotics, injections, and nerve blocks
• Physical and rehabilitation therapies, including heat and cold therapy, exercise, stretching, therapeutic massage, and manipulation
• Treatments to shrink the tumor, including radiation and chemotherapy even if these treatments are not likely to cure the cancer

Understanding Pain Management for Cancer in Arizona

Your pain is something only you can fully understand. No one else can tell you how it feels or what makes it better. This makes it important for you to accurately describe it to your care team at Dignity Health. They will ask you to use a rating scale to measure your pain, and explain it using words like sharp, dull, throbbing, or burning. They will want to know how long it lasts, what helps it, what makes it worse, and how it affects your daily living.

Together, you and your care team will create a pain control plan. This will likely involve keeping a pain journal to track your pain and medication use. With advances in pain management and the support of your family, friends, and care team, you’ll be better able to cope with the challenges of cancer and its treatment.