Other Methods of Pain Relief
Are There Any Operations To Relieve Pain?
- Yes. Pain cannot be felt if the nerve pathways that relay pain impulses
to the brain are interrupted. To block these pathways, a neurosurgeon may
cut a nerve close to the spinal cord (rhizotomy)
or cut bundles of nerves in the spinal cord itself (cordotomy).
- When the nerves that transmit pain are destroyed, the sensations of
pressure and temperature can no longer be felt. Therefore, after these operations,
patients ate more likely to injure the affected area because they no longer
have the protective reflexes of pain, pressure, or temperature.
What Are Nerve Blocks?
- When certain substances are injected into or around a nerve, that nerve
is no longer able to transmit pain. A local anesthetic, which may be combined
with cortisone, provides temporary pain relief. For longer lasting pain
relief, phenol or alcohol can be injected. A nerve block may cause muscle
paralysis. Loss of all feeling in the affected area is a frequent side effect
of a nerve block.
What Is Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS)?
- This is a technique in which mild electric currents are applied to selected
areas of the skin by a small power pack connected to two electrodes. The
sensation is described as a buzzing, tingling, or tapping feeling. The small
electric impulses seem to interfere with pain sensations. The current can
be adjusted so that the sensation is pleasant and relieves the pain. Pain
relief lasts beyond the time that the current is applied. Your doctor or
a physical therapist can tell you where to get a TENS unit.
Can Alcohol Help Relieve My Pain?
- Drinking alcohol sometimes can provide pain relief, increase appetite,
reduce anxiety, and help you sleep. Drinking small amounts of alcoholic
beverages with meals or in the evening may be beneficial for you. Ask your
doctor's advice before you start using alcohol, because it is dangerous
to combine alcohol with certain pain-relieving drugs.
Will Marijuana Relieve My Pain?
- No. The pain-relieving effects of marijuana are not consistent. Marijuana
has been reported to reduce anxiety or control nausea so that the person
in pain feels better. However, some cancer patients have reported that smoking
marijuana increased their pain. At this time, marijuana is not legally available.
What About Acupuncture for Pain Relief?
- In acupuncture, special needles
are inserted into the body at certain points and at various depths and angles.
Particular groups of acupuncture points are believed to control specific
areas of pain sensation. The procedure has been used as an anesthetic in
China and elsewhere to treat many types of pain, but its usefulness for
cancer patients has not been proven. Most doctors believe that it is not
harmful as long as the needles are sterile. Acupuncture should not be used
for patients who are getting chemotherapy because of the danger of increased
bleeding where the needles are placed.
Can Hypnosis Help?
- No one knows how hypnosis works
to control pain. Hypnosis is a trance-like state that can be brought on
by a person trained in special techniques. During hypnosis, a person is
very receptive to suggestions made by the hypnotist. To relieve pain, the
hypnotist may suggest that pain will be gone when the person "wakes
up." Some cancer patients have learned methods of self-hypnosis that
they use to control pain. However, it's hard to predict when hypnosis will
work for pain relief.