All types of cancer can cause pain and discomfort in different areas of the body. In some cases, cancer treatments may lead to pain. For some people with cancer, bouts of pain are ongoing over the course of weeks and months. This is known as chronic pain.
People with cancer may experience one or more of the following types of pain:
In the event of limb removal, people may experience phantom pain, which involves sensations of pain in the body part that has been removed. There has also referred pain, which is when an injury affects the nerves and causes pain in other areas of the body.
Nerve irritation is often a key component of chronic pain. When it comes to cancer, tumours may compress nerves or cause irritation by releasing certain chemicals. Cancer treatments, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, can also cause nerve irritation.
With nerve compression or irritation caused by surgery, pain sometimes subsides after treatment. For instance, surgical removal of a tumour can assuage pain, and pain may lessen once the surgical site heals.
When pain persists after the initial treatment, painkillers can be effective. However, painkillers carry several risks and are not intended to be taken on a long-term basis. Nerve blocks are another possible treatment for chronic pain, as they can stop the nerve from producing the pain signals causing issues.
When it comes to bone pain, weakness may be an underlying contributor. In this case, patients can undergo physical therapy to strengthen the muscles surrounding bones, which can also have a positive impact on bone strength.