Cancer Pain
Cancer Pain Treatment in Flower Mound, TX
Discover Real Cancer Pain Relief with Our Advanced Medical Treatments
Cancer pain can take many forms. It can be dull, sharp, or burning. It can be mild, moderate, severe, or debilitating. The type of cancer pain you experience will depend on many factors, including cancer type, size, location in your body, and your pain tolerance.
At Pain & Spine Physicians in Flower Mound, TX, we know effective pain management is possible at every level in cancer patients and those with a history of cancer. Although complete relief from cancer-related pain is not always possible, advanced therapies can lessen the pain from cancer and other symptoms and improve quality of life at almost every stage of the disease. Our dedicated medical team of board-certified doctors and cancer specialists can help you manage your acute and chronic pain through a multimodal regimen of treatments, including OsteoCool Tumor Ablations, nerve ablations, nerve blocks, spinal cord stimulators, peripheral nerve stimulators, epidural steroid injections, sympathetic plexus blocks, joint injections, and more.
If you are experiencing cancer pain on any level, do not hesitate to contact us to schedule your consultation. Pain can ultimately interfere with the effectiveness of your treatment, so it is essential that the members of our care team know when you’re experiencing pain. Together, we can develop effective cancer pain management therapies that match your needs and alleviate your pain and suffering.
Causes of Cancer Pain
Cancer pain comes from various sources. It can be caused by the destruction of nearby tissue, inflammation, compression of nerves, bones, or organs. It can also be caused by blockages in the body’s hollow spaces such as the digestive system, lymph, and blood vessels. These types of pain are known as neuropathic and nociceptive pain. Cancerous tumors can also release chemicals into the body that cause pain. At times, the cause of cancer pain can be the treatments. Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy can cause patients visceral pain, and this pain can be challenging to identify. The Pain & Spine Physicians teams provide complete assessments for your unique cancer pain and recommend the best course of action for your treatment, based on data and professional experience.
Cancer Pain Assessment
No patient experiences cancer in the same way. Cancer stages, responses to pain treatments, and individual preferences vary for each person. Because of that fact, the experienced staff at Pain & Spine Physicians collects all your general and medical information, including a detailed medical history, to determine any other correlated underlying causes of pain. We then review all the imaging orders and conduct more advanced imaging tests if needed to get a more in-depth look at your pain. As part of your ongoing treatment, we take every measure to regularly screen for any pain you may be experiencing, measuring intensity and providing continuing relief and assessment. This tailored management helps us gauge your pain levels, formulate an overall diagnosis of your cancer, and determine your fitness for the cancer pain therapies we offer. Cancer pain can be divided to three levels:
- Mild to Moderate: Mild to moderate pain is the least severe. It can stem from muscle and bone pain and pain from previous incisions. Non-opioid, non-steroidal, and anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – working alone or in tandem – may provide relief and help to moderate pain at this level.
- Moderate to Severe: For moderate to severe pain, our doctors often recommend combining opioid, non-opioid, and alternative drugs known as Adjuvant Analgesics. We safely prescribe and monitor drugs such as morphine, fentanyl, codeine, oxycodone, hydromorphone, and methadone, and use them in conjunction with acetaminophen and NSAIDs, to best effect. Our practice may also utilize blocks, nerve ablations, OsteoCool Tumor Ablation’s, joint and spine injections, epidural steroid injections, Kyphoplasty, and infusion therapies to treat moderate to severe cancer pain. Cancer patients may use these combinations for years without developing opioid withdrawals or physical or psychological dependencies and may increase dosage as necessary to experience prominent pain relief.
- Breakthrough Pain: This persistent cancer pain is the most severe a patient can experience. Breakthrough pain often requires the use of the most advanced treatment methods, including complex pain relief procedures, adjunctive medications, or a combination of opioid medications. At times, our physicians may prescribe potent, fast-acting medications, such as oral morphine. This rescue medication can work in concert with standard pain relief medications to relieve recurring, persistent pain.
Cancer Pain Management
Properly managing your cancer pain is an essential part of your overall treatment regimen and often necessary for you to live life without constant debilitating pain. With six locations across North Texas, our practice is fully equipped with the right tools, technology, skills, and experience to create tailored cancer pain management plans suited your needs and lifestyle. Pain & Spine Physicians incorporates the most advanced knowledge, technology, and scientific breakthroughs in all our cancer pain management therapies. Using our deep knowledge and understanding of pain receptors and how pain is transmitted to the brain, we have improved our therapies to make them more effective in almost every pain management scenario. Today, we strive to relieve cancer pain for the long-term and reduce dependencies on opioids and invasive surgeries. Our doctors and cancer pain specialists treat pain and accomplish these goals through several innovative approaches, including:
OsteoCool Tumor Ablation
OsteoCool Radiofrequency Ablation (RF) is a minimally invasive procedure, which utilizes low power, alternating current through a specially designed probe to heat and eliminate tumors. The heated probe, working in combination with a second probe directing water to the site, destroys cancerous cells and preserves healthy tissue. You may be a candidate for OsteoCool Tumor Ablation if you suffer from painful bone tumors and standard therapies are not an option for you. Patients who continue to experience pain after they have finished radiation therapy, and patients who cannot lie flat for radiation due to pain, could both be excellent candidates for this superior FDA-approved therapy.
Sympathetic Pain Blocks
Sympathetic Pain Block treatments provide short-term relief for acute and postoperative pain as well as some chronic pain issues. Based on the location of your cancer, our practice can perform celiac plexus, hypogastric plexus, ganglion impar, or stellate ganglion nerve blocks. We can potentially do either radiofrequency or chemical ablation of the sympathetic plexus block to alleviate the pain.
Nerve Blocks
Pain & Spine Physicians can also potentially perform various nerve blocks based on the location of your pain. Based on the site location and response to the nerve blocks, we can also perform radial frequency ablation of those nerves for improved, longer-lasting pain relief.
Peripheral Nerve Stimulation
Peripheral nerve stimulation involves inserting a small device over the affected nerve to help alleviate lower back and leg pain. Done with or without additional pain medications, peripheral nerve stimulation is ideal for patients who have cancer pain due to nerve impingement and have successful results with the nerve block. The treatment is also effective in those experiencing pain in their lower back and legs after radiation therapy.
Pharmacologic Therapies & Adjuvant Analgesics
Pain & Spine Physicians integrates the use of opioid, non-opioid, and alternative medications throughout our patients’ treatment regimens. Though we strive to avoid habit-forming opioids, we do not deny their value in treating cancer pain if prescribed and monitored closely by our team of certified doctors. The dosage and delivery methods of these medications will depend entirely on a patient’s individual needs and preferences. Whether swallowed, injected, or absorbed through the skin, our qualified physicians, nurses, and medical staff adhere to the closest oversight. It is not uncommon for our practice to utilize Adjuvant Analgesics – a combination of over-the-counter, prescription, and alternative pain-killing drugs – to treat cancer pain. Antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and steroids are all highly effective forms of pain relief for cancer patients.
Next Steps for Your Cancer Pain Treatment
First, speak to your primary care physician about your pain. It never helps to keep silent at any stage of your cancer treatment, and procedures are available to alleviate your suffering. Participate in a preliminary assessment with your doctor, using a scale of 1-10 to measure your pain levels. Your goal should always be as close to “comfortable” as possible. Once you have determined pain levels and consistency, schedule your consultation with our experts here at Pain & Spine Physicians. Our skilled doctors and medical staff have the facilities, expertise, and advanced treatment methods to reduce or eliminate your cancer pain long term. Contact us today to learn more.
Contact Pain & Spine Physicians for Complete Cancer Pain Treatment
Cancer pain management is possible at every stage. Modern treatments and therapies can dramatically reduce pain through minimally invasive techniques and give you the ability to live a life free from discomfort, irritation, and debilitating affliction. Contact Pain & Spine Physicians today for your no-obligation consultation, let us manage your cancer pain, and provide real, lasting relief.