Download Pain and Symptom Management for Colon Cancer Patients

Pain and Symptom Management
for Colon Cancer Patients
When someone has been diagnosed with colon cancer, the impacts
can be far reaching and devastating. Understanding appropriate
pain and symptom management techniques can help a patient who
has been afflicted with colon cancer understand the situation
on a deeper level. This understanding can help caregivers
provide the necessary care to support this person as well.
It can be very challenging for family members to cope with a
life-limiting illness like advanced stage colon cancer.
Hospice patients who have been afflicted with colon cancer
require special care and consideration from all involved
individuals. Patients should always speak to their attending
physician regarding any pain treatments and use of medication
before proceeding with that particular treatment.
Basics of Colon Cancer
Colon and rectum cancer are the second leading causes of
cancer death in the United States. It affects millions of
Americans every year. Every type of cancer is different and
requires different levels and types of care. For colon cancer
patients who have been placed in hospice care, effective
symptom and pain management can be tailored to meet their
individual needs.
A serious colon cancer diagnosis is intimidating for a patient
as well as any family members. Hospice care allows colon
cancer patients to have a rich and high quality of life even
in the face of the life-limiting diagnosis of colon cancer.
This is due to the fact that hospice care focuses on effective
symptom and pain management as well as holistic care. Holistic
care refers to caring for the spiritual, mental, and emotional
needs of a colon cancer patient.
How Does Hospice Care Work for
Colon Cancer Patients?
Hospice physicians and nurses focus primarily on a patient’s
physical comfort through management of pain. Hospice
professionals understand the best devices, treatments, and
medications that may benefit a patient with a life-limiting
diagnosis. Improving quality of life often extends beyond the
level of physical pain.
A hospice care professional will work hard to make a patient
as self-sufficient and mobile as possible. The patient’s
mental, spiritual, and emotional needs are also cared for.
Various therapies can be used in order to help a patient cope
with and understand their situation as best as possible.
Hospice care frequently works as part of a larger team helping
a patient. One of the biggest benefits with hospice care is
that family members and friends can also continue to offer
support and care during this time period; However, they also
have the chance to take a break when necessary.
Caring for a loved one with a life-limiting illness can take a
toll on the mental and physical state of family members who
are overburdened as well. This is why hospice care can help to
relieve overwhelmed family members and give those individuals
peace of mind knowing that a caring and trained staff member
is there for the affected colon cancer patient.
Although it might be difficult to accept that hospice care
means that it is unlikely that other avenues will work to cure
the patient, it can also be the most important and caring
decision that loved ones can make for their family members.
Common
Sources
of
Pain
for
Individuals with Colon Cancer
Each individual is different with regard to the intensity of
pain he or she experiences after a colon cancer diagnosis.
This is why hospice care considers each patient individually
and works hard to develop a treatment plan in line with the
individual’s needs.
Pain from colon cancer can be achy, sharp, or dull. It can
occur only occasionally or often, and it can be at a mild,
moderate, or severe level. The pain experienced by a colon
cancer patient will depend on the cancer stage and type, how
much that cancer has spread, and how sensitive an individual
is to pain.
Whatever the kind of pain that is experienced, a hospice
center and its affiliated staff should be committed to making
life as positive as possible for an afflicted patient.
There are several common sources of pain for colon cancer
patients. These include:
Pain due to cancer that has spread to another part of
the body like the spine or the ribs
Pain due to the cancer itself, such as a tumor putting
pressure on an organ or on a nerve
Pain associated with cancer treatments like surgery to
remove cancer, radiation, or chemotherapy
Pain not related to cancer, including sore muscles,
headaches, or arthritis-related pain
Hospice staff should be well aware of how to spot these
various signals of pain.
Pain associated with cancer treatments depends on the cancer
treatment that the patient has received. Chemotherapy-related
side effects can include tingling in the fingertips, mouth
sores, and pain. Radiation side effects might include sore
throat, problems with swallowing, and irritating sunburn-like
pain throughout the body.
Surgery to remove or test for cancer can also cause pain as a
result of the incisions made during the operation.
There are two major types of pain associated with cancer.
These include neuropathic pain and nociceptive. Neuropathic
pain is a result of nerves that are inflamed, pressed, or
otherwise damaged. People usually indicate that this pain
gives a stabbing, shooting, electric shock, or burning
sensation. Neuropathic pain often can appear without warning
for no real reason and can come and go for weeks or months at
a time.
Managing
Cancer
Pain
Associated
with
There are few different ways to handle pain associated with
cancer. A patient must indicate whether the pain is
neuropathic or nociceptive and whether it is mild, moderate,
or severe.
The primary reason for selecting any kind of pain relieving
medication is to the extent to which pain is impacting the
patient’s day to day life. Hospice staff may evaluate the
patient’s situation and determine what is most appropriate
based on the patient’s individual needs.
Three types of pain relieving medications may be used:
opioids, non-opioids, and adjuvant medications. Non-drug
treatments may also be used to help a patient suffering from
pain, including massage, cold, heat, visualization and
relaxation, yoga, or acupuncture. These methods can work for
the vast majority of pain types.
Handling Moderate to Severe Cancer
Pain
If pain medication does not help with the pain, a doctor could
prescribe a stronger narcotic drug like oxycodone or
hydrocodone. Opioids may also be taken in conjunction with
non-opioids because they help to address different types of
pain.
When hospice services are part of the care team, individuals
can all work together to ensure that a patient gets the
attention and symptom relief necessary. Doctors on a hospice
care team will closely evaluate the patient to determine
whether or not additional intervention is needed.
Seeing a loved one suffering from higher levels of pain is
never easy for family members to cope with, but having a
hospice care team dedicated to making things as pain free as
possible can go a long way towards relieving anxiety and
frustration.
Complications of Pain Management
Even when pain medication is being administered regularly, a
patient with a life-limiting illness may still need higher
dosages or changes in their medication routines based on the
severity of the pain that day. It is the caregiver’s
responsibility to monitor the pain closely by asking patients
about their pain and reacting in an appropriate manner.
Pain can become acute towards the end of a patient’s life and
patients may not always be able or willing to volunteer
information about their pain severity. As a result, caregivers
must ask questions regarding pain on a regular basis. It can
be challenging to check in with a patient who has a lifelimiting diagnosis like serious colon cancer but it is
important for managing the patient’s needs.
These needs make selecting the right hospice care team so
important. The care team should be interested in learning
about the individual patient’s needs and be willing to respond
quickly when the condition deteriorates or warrants further
intervention.
Understanding the Physical
Emotional Pain Connection
and
Hospice care providers and caregivers need to understand how a
patient’s emotional state can either exacerbate or dull
physical pain. Anxiety, for example, can contribute to a
patient’s serious pain. Patients in the more severe stages of
colon cancer will frequently be anxious about their pain
management plan failing to take effect and this anxiety can
trigger more pain.
Family members and hospice care workers often work together to
ensure the best possible care for an impacted patient.
Although the prospect of a loved one in hospice care can be
challenging to understand and accept, choosing the right team
can make a big difference.
Empowering Colon Cancer Patients
Hospice center staff can do a great deal of work to help
empower colon cancer patients by being aware, alert, and
considerate. The more that patients and their loved ones know
about pain management options and the higher of a priority
that hospice care staff makes pain management, the easier it
will be to address hospice patient needs. Contact Harbor Light
Hospice for more information.