Pain Management for Cancer Survivors

Dr. Gary Jay, a pain management specialist based in Raleigh, NC area is discussing post-cancer pain management in the video you can find at this link.

What he is saying is certainly food for thought; people who have been successfully treated for cancer can have lingering pain even though they are cancer free. This may be due to damage caused by the cancer itself, or complications resulting from its treatment: post surgical pain, radiation damage, or chemotherapy-induced problems, such as neuropathy.

Once cancer free, the patient is released from treatment by their oncology treatment team. But what about the after-effects of these dreadful diseases? The best treatments are multi-modal in nature. They may include prescription drugs, but by incorporating healthy lifestyle habits into everyday life can do much to maximize pain relief.

It's a good idea to slowly incorporate these changes into one's lifestyle; start with one thing, such as weight loss, healthier eating habits, or exercise and slowly add new things over time. The idea is to make constant improvements. Don't try to do too much at once because you'll end up feeling overwhelmed.

Sources: YouTube, Painweek.org; Pinterest

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