Cancer can cause a great deal of pain. The treatments for cancer can also cause a great deal of pain. But pain is not a "done deal" - it isn't inevitable. Pain control is part of the overall treatment for cancer. Physicians have a whole arsenal of methods and options at their disposal. The best defense is always a good offense, whether you are talking about a football game, a basketball game, or fighting cancer pain.

First, there are a few facts that patients need to know: (1) pain CAN be managed; (2) talking openly with your physician will help him help you; (3) there are a great many pain medications, and when one doesn't work, another will; (4) people who take pain medications prescribed by their doctors for cancer-related pain very rarely become addicted to them; and (5) the human body does not become immune to pain medication. There is no point in "saving" a medication for later.

There are as many different causes of pain as there are patients who have pain. Pain relief does not come in a "one-size-fits-all" pill. It can be caused by medical tests, tumors, spinal cord compression, and treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy. There are different relievers available for pain that is caused by different things.

Doctors use prescription medications, of course, and all of the hundreds and thousands of pain medications can be prescribed for a cancer patient. But medications are not the only weapon to combat pain in the doctor's bag. Many doctors prescribe the use of such alternative medicines as aromatherapy, massage, acupuncture, biofeedback, and others.

The idea is often just to relieve the pain, but an even better idea is to prevent the pain in the first place. Talk to your doctor about pain prevention.