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Cancer Pain

Pacific Pain Physicians

Interventional Pain Management Specialists located in Santa Barbara, CA & San Luis Obispo, CA

Not everyone with cancer develops pain, but if you do have cancer pain, you can get relief. The experienced team at Pacific Pain Physicians in Santa Barbara, California, specializes in the management of cancer pain and provides the pain pump to help ease your discomfort and improve your quality of life. To learn more about your pain control options, call Pacific Pain Physicians today or request a consultation online.

Cancer Pain Q & A

 

What is cancer pain?

Cancer pain refers to the discomfort you experience from your cancer. The pain can be dull, sharp, burning, or achy. You may be more likely to develop cancer pain if your cancer has recurred or is spreading.

The team at Pacific Pain Physicians specializes in the management of pain caused by:

  • Hip cancer
  • Neck cancer
  • Breast cancer

You don’t have to suffer with your cancer pain. The specialists at Pacific Pain Physicians can develop a pain management plan to help minimize your discomfort. Managing your cancer pain is an important part of your overall cancer treatment plan and shouldn’t be ignored or pushed to the side.

What causes cancer pain?

The pain you experience from your cancer may be from the growing tumor pressing on your organs or tissue. The cancer itself may also release chemicals that induce pain. Certain cancer treatments can also result in pain, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

How is cancer pain treated?

Your specialist at Pacific Pain Physicians works one-on-one with you to develop the most effective treatment to help you gain control over your cancer pain. If over-the-counter pain medication or prescription pain medication fails to improve your pain and your quality of life, the team may suggest a pain pump.

What is the pain pump?

The pain pump is a device that delivers pain medication directly to your spinal cord to provide you with long-lasting pain relief. The device consists of a catheter that gets placed in your spinal cord and a pump that gets placed in your abdominal area that holds your medication.

Your specialist programs your pain pump to deliver the pain medication at intervals, which offers you the most control over your pain. Your specialist may have you come back to the office every 4-6 weeks to get a refill of your medication. Your pain pump can also be programmed so that you can provide yourself with additional pain medication as needed for breakthrough pain.

Getting control over your pain with the pain pump may allow you to get back to doing some of the things you enjoy and improve your overall quality of life.

To learn more about the pain management options for your cancer pain, call Pacific Pain Physicians today or book an appointment online.