Cancer Pain Is Different
At Aspire Pain Relief Institute, we believe cancer pain is different from other pain and should be treated by physicians who have the education and experience to address it properly and comprehensively.
Aspire’s founder, Dr. Jose E. Sarria, spent a decade as Chief of the Pain Medicine Service at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, and is uniquely informed in the special needs of cancer patients.
Cancer Pain is Under-Treated
Unfortunately, there are many reasons why cancer pain patients are underserved:
Doctors Don’t Always Ask Cancer Patients If They Are In Pain
Some doctors don’t know enough about the unique needs of cancer patients to offer effective pain management. Other doctors are so concerned with opioid use and potential abuse that they are reluctant to prescribe medications that could help with pain.
There Is A Very Real Fear of Pain Medication
But when prescribed and monitored properly by an informed physician, risk of addiction is actually quite low. It is possible to develop a tolerance to pain medication but that is not the same as addiction. If a patient’s pain medication stops working as well as it once did, they should talk to their doctor about addressing their dosage or changing the prescription entirely.
Some Patients Are Simply Embarrassed To Talk To Their Doctor About Their Pain
Some patients are simply embarrassed to talk to their doctor about their pain. They don’t want to “bother” them or have their doctor think they are asking for pain pills. Still other patients don’t want to acknowledge their pain verbally because they think it means their cancer is worsening. Some feel guilty talking about pain when they know they should be grateful for surviving their cancer.
Many Patients Assume The Only Options For Addressing Their Pain Are Medication And Surgery
Fear of the unknown prevents people from asking what is available to them. At Aspire Pain Relief Institute, the doctors work tirelessly to address the pain with custom treatment plans that address the individual needs of every patient.
Non-Surgical Solutions for Cancer Pain
Medications
New and robust pain relievers are released constantly. It is the role of the skilled Interventional Pain Medicine doctor to understand how medications can best be used and with what to effectively manage cancer pain. Depending on the type and severity of the pain, something as simple as an over-the-counter medication like acetaminophen or an NSAID (aspirin, ibuprofen) can be effective. More complicated pain cases can be helped with stronger narcotic pain relievers. Because of the potency of these types of drugs, patients undergo a thorough physical and psychological evaluation before receiving their
prescription and remain under close observation for the duration of their prescription cycle.
Celiac Plexus Block and Neurolysis (CPN)
This non-surgical procedure can alleviate pain caused by cancer, chronic pain after surgery as well as other conditions. CPN has been extensively studied for the pain of cancer of the pancreas. During this procedure, a local anesthetic is injected around the nerves of the upper abdomen. To prolong the pain-relieving effect, an additional medication may be injected. Relief can last three to six months or longer. This out-patient procedure can be repeated if the pain returns.
Superior Hypogastric Plexus Block and Neurolysis
This injection-based procedure is performed for severe, chronic pelvic pain caused by cancer or other disease. Superior hypogastric block uses a local anesthetic and a neurolytic agent (typically alcohol or electric energy) to disrupt nerve pain signals through a numbing effect. The hypogastric plexus nerves are located on each side and in front of the lower spine and carry sensation to the bladder, uterus, ovaries, prostate, lower intestines, rectum and other areas within the pelvic area. The use of the neurolytic agent interrupts the actual nerve fibers to produce long-lasting pain relief in as little as 20 minutes after the injection. Superior hypogastric block is an out-patient procedure. At Aspire Pain Relief Institute, we believe a cancer diagnosis does not mean that you have to live with constant pain. There are many types of solutions available. Our doctors will work tirelessly to find one that works best for you.
You don’t have to live
with chronic pain – Aspire to be Pain Free.
Contact us today to book your first appointment.
Contact us today to book your first appointment.