Cancer pain can be physically and emotionally exhausting, but it is possible to manage, writes CancerCare CEO Helen H. Miller, LCSW, ACSW, in the latest edition of Oncology Nurse Advisor.
Along with advances in pain medication treatments, emotional and practical support have been shown to help patients better manage their pain and experience a better quality of life, notes Miller. Also beneficial are “skill-based interventions” such as learning meditation techniques or yoga.
Miller’s article cites the results of a recent study that found patients were able to better control their pain after learning about pain management techniques from their health care team members, or from reading educational materials.
CancerCare provides pain-management information in our free publications, Controlling Cancer Pain: What You Need to Know to Get Relief, and “Opening the Door to Effective Pain Management.” Leading medical experts also addressed pain-management techniques during CancerCare’s Connect Education Workshop, “Coping with Cancer Pain: What You Need to Know.”
Learn more about CancerCare’s free resources about pain management.
Read about mind/body and relaxation techniques in our free fact sheet, “Relaxation Techniques and Mind/Body Practices.”
CancerCare also offers in-person mind/body workshops at our national office in New York City, led by a professional oncology social worker.
Register for these upcoming free workshops:
- Guided Imagery; April 10, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
- Restorative Yoga; April 24, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Posted by Kyle Hornyak