Pain Control Support for People With Cancer by National Institute of Cancer. - HTML preview

Words To Know

Acupuncture (ACK-yu-punk-chur): Small needles are inserted into the skin at certain points of the body to relieve pain.

Acute pain: Pain that is very bad but lasts a fairly short time.

Addiction (uh-DIK-shin): Drug craving, seeking, and use that you can’t control.

Analgesic: A drug that reduces pain.

Anesthesiologist (an-uh-steez-ee-YAH-luh-jist): A doctor who specializes in giving medicines or other drugs that prevent or relieve pain.

Anticonvulsant (an-tee-kuhn-VUHL-sint): Medicine used to treat seizures that can also be used to control burning, stabbing, and tingling pain.

Antidepressant (an-tee-duh-PRES-int): Medicine used to treat depression that can also be used to relieve tingling, stabbing, or burning pain from damaged nerves.

Biofeedback: A way of learning to control some body functions such as heartbeat, blood pressure, and muscle tension with the help of special machines. This method may help control pain.

Breakthrough pain: An intense rise in pain that occurs suddenly or is felt for a short time. It can occur by itself or in relation to a certain activity. It may happen several times a day, even when you’re taking the right dose of medicine.

Chemotherapy (kee-moh-THAIR-uh-pee): Treatment with anticancer medicines.

Chronic (KRAH-nik) pain: Pain that can range from mild to severe and is present for a long time.

Complementary treatment: Treatment used along with standard medical care.

Deductible: The amount you must pay for health care before insurance begins to pay.

Distraction: A pain relief method that takes the attention away from the pain.

Dose: The amount of medicine taken.

Generic: The scientific name of a drug, as opposed to the brand name. Also, drugs not protected by trademark.

Hypnosis (hip-NOH-sis): A person enters into a trance-like state, becomes more aware and focused, and is more open to suggestion.

Imagery: People think of pleasant images or scenes, such as waves hitting a beach, to help them relax.

Integrative medicine: Combines standard medical care and complementary and alternative medicine, for which there is some high-quality evidence of safety and effectiveness.

Intravenous (in-tra-VEE-nus): Within a blood vessel. Also called IV.

Intravenous infusion: A way of giving pain medicine into a vein or under the skin. An infusion flows in by gravity or a mechanical pump. It is different from an injection, which is pushed in by a syringe.

Laxative: Something you take to help you pass solid waste, or stool, from your body. There are many different kinds of laxatives.

Narcotics (nahr-KAH-tiks): See opioids.

Nerve block: Pain medicine is injected directly into or around a nerve or into the spine to block pain.

Neurologist: A doctor who specializes in the treatment of nervous system disorders.

Neuropathic (noor-AH-path-ik) pain: Pain that occurs when treatment damages the nerves.

Nonopioids (nahn-OH-pee-yoidz) : Acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.

Nonprescription: Over-the-counter drugs that you can buy without a doctor’s order.

NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs): Medicines that control mild to moderate pain and inflammation and reduce fever. Can be used either alone or together with other medicines.

Oncologist (ahn-KAH-luh-jist): A doctor who specializes in the treatment of cancer.

Oncology (ahn-KAH-luh-jee): The study and treatment of cancer.

Onset of action: The length of time it takes for a medicine to start to work.

Opioids (OH-pee-yoidz): Also known as narcotics. They are used to treat moderate to severe pain. A prescription is needed for these medicines.

Oral: By mouth.

Pain threshold: The point at which a person becomes aware of pain.

Palliative (PAL-ee-yuh-tiv) care: Care given to improve quality of life and/or slow cancer’s growth. The goal is to prevent or treat the symptoms, side effects, and psychological and emotional problems of the disease. Not meant to be a cure.

Patient-controlled analgesia (an-ull-JEEZ-ya) (PCA): A way for a person with pain to control the amount of pain medicine he or she receives. When pain relief is needed, the person can press a button on a computerized pump connected to a small tube inserted into the vein or under the skin. Pushing the button delivers a preset dose of pain medicine.

Phantom pain: When pain or other unpleasant feelings are felt from a missing (phantom) body part that has been removed by surgery.

Physical therapy: Treatment for pain in muscles, nerves, joints, and bones. This treatment uses exercise, electrical stimulation, and hydrotherapy, as well as massage, heat, cold, and electrical devices.

Prescription: A doctor’s order.

Qi (chee): What is believed to be a life force energy.

Radiation therapy: Treatment with high-energy x-rays to kill or control cancer cells.

Relaxation techniques: Methods used to lessen tension, reduce anxiety, and manage pain.

Side effects: Problems caused by a medicine or other treatment. Examples are constipation and drowsiness.

Skin patch: A bandage-like patch that releases medicine through the skin and then into the bloodstream. The medicine enters the blood slowly and steadily.

Standard treatment: The treatment that is accepted and most often used.

Stage: The extent of disease. It can also be a phase of a clinical trial.

Steroids: Medicines that reduces swelling and inflammation.

Stool softeners: Medicine that softens the solid waste in your body, making it easier to pass.

Subcutaneous (sub-kyu-TAY-nee-yus) injection: A shot under the skin.

Sublingual: Under the tongue.

Supplements: Vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other things you can take besides medicines.

Tolerance: Occurs when the body gets used to a medicine. The result is that the dose no longer works well. Either more medicine is needed to control the pain or different medicine is needed.

Transcutaneous (tranz-kyu-TAY-nee-yus) Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS): A method in which mild electric currents are applied to some areas of the skin by a small power pack connected to two electrodes.

Transmucosal (tranz-myu-KO-sol): Absorbed through the lining of the mouth.

Withdrawal: Signs and symptoms that can appear when long-term use of opioids is stopped or suddenly reduced a lot.