The pain associated with a cancerous condition and its treatment is often misunderstood. The objective of pain specialists is to effectively and safely reduce or eliminate the patient’s pain while they are actively treating the cancer; the goal is to improve the patient’s comfort and quality of life.
Following a thorough history and physical, interventional pain management specialists will first determine if a patient’s symptoms are originating with their cancerous condition or something completely unrelated. Once the origin of the pain has been determined, a treatment strategy to safely and effectively address the patient’s pain is implemented. This treatment may include pain medication or invasive pain management techniques, such as the implantation of an intrathecal pain pump.