I am not a medical doctor or medically trained in any way.  This information is here to help responsible people help themselves while coordinating everything they do with their health care team.  This information is presented here for educational purposes only!

Pain Management

No one likes to be in pain!  When addressing pain, I prefer to try natural methods first, then over the counter drugs if possible and heavy painkillers last.  Therefore all of the information on this page is in this same format with alternatives first and drugs listed last.  Keep in mind that we also used alternatives along with morphine, when situations warranted such heavy use of drugs.

Acupuncture:

Acupuncture is one of the main forms of treatment in traditional Chinese medicine. It involves the use of sharp, thin needles that are inserted in the body at very specific points. This process is believed to adjust and alter the body’s energy flow into healthier patterns, and is used to treat a wide variety of illnesses and health conditions.  Our oncologist did not want us to use any needles while Kayla was immune compromised but we still went and our acupuncturist used many other methods to help Kayla, they did work.

Origins of Acupuncture

The original text of Chinese medicine is the Nei Ching, The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, which is estimated to be at least 2,500 years old. Thousands of books since then have been written on the subject of Chinese healing, and its basic philosophies spread long ago to other Asian civilizations. Nearly all of the forms of Oriental medicine, which are used in the West today, including acupuncture, shiatsu, acupressure massage, and macrobiotics, are part of or have their roots in Chinese medicine. Legend has it that acupuncture developed when early Chinese physicians observed unpredicted effects of puncture wounds in Chinese warriors. The oldest known text on acupuncture, the Systematic Classic of Acupuncture, dates back to 282 A.D. Although acupuncture is its best known technique, Chinese medicine traditionally utilizes herbal remedies, dietary therapy, lifestyle changes and other means to treat patients. Text taken from http://www.answers.com/topic/acupuncture

Kayla was not allowed to do any acupuncture because of a suppressed immune system while on heavy chemo.  This is why I suggest checking with your doctor, before participating in any alternatives listed here.

Electrical Therapy: We took Kayla to a Chinese Doctor.  He used low-level electrical pulses to aid bone growth and minimize pain.  This type of therapy made a visible difference for her.

Muscle Spasms: Magnesium is a known supplement that works to relax muscle spasms.  This can be purchased at any health food store.  It comes in powder form and a teaspoon is placed into very hot water.  It can be drunk through out the day.  If too much is consumed it can cause diarrhea.  The cost is around $12.00 for a container.

Deep Breathing: If you have pain that is short in duration, deep breathing can be very beneficial.  Kayla uses this a lot.

Hot and Cold Compresses: Headaches, muscle spasms, pinched nerves, etc., can all cause pain.  This remedy is to apply heat for twenty minutes and then an ice pack for twenty minutes.  Our freezer is stocked with freezer packs and we have two heating pads.  These traditional remedies have been an invaluable tool for our whole family.

Creams: There are many topical creams on the market that may help to alleviate pain.  Ben Gay is one that warms the skin.  Tiger Balm is similar and available through your health food store.  Arnica cream is an herb that helps pain and is also available through your local health food store.

Adelle Davis (author of the 1970’s best seller Let’s Get Well) recommends putting vitamin C powder into a cream and putting it on the body.  Kayla had mineral loss from her bones, which was very, very, painful.  One time I took powdered vitamin C, mixed cream (any cream) and slathered it on her ankles and feet. Then I placed a plastic bag over this mess and put a heating pad on top. Kayla said it did nothing but meanwhile she was no longer groaning in pain. Maybe this could help other pain? It is worth a try as long as you are not on a medication that cannot mix with vitamin C.  Methotrexate is a chemotherapy drug that cannot be given with vitamin C.  Check with your doctor first.

Stretches: There is a very good book titledPain Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain, byPete Egoscue. Available through Amazon.com  I highly recommend this book and cannot tell you how many times we have used the gentle stretches and directions to ease pains in our bodies.

Reflexology: definition and history. Reflexology is the physical act of applying pressure to the feet or hand with specific thumb, finger and hand techniques without the use of oil or lotion. It is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands with a premise that such work effects a physical change to the body.

Around the world and throughout history reflexology has been rediscovered and reinstated as a health practice time and time again by peoples around the globe seeking to deal with health concerns. Archeological evidence Egypt (2330 BCE), China (2704 BCE) and Japan (690 CE) points to ancient reflexology medical systems. In the West the concept of reflexology began to emerge in the 19th century, based on research into the nervous system and reflex. While no direct evidence of direct cross-fertilization from ancient times has been discovered, the practice of foot and hand work in a variety of cultures, belief systems and historical periods speaks to reflexology for health as a universal bridging concept. [Taken from the website www.reflexology-research.com]

We have used this book Acupressure & Reflexology For Dummies to help Kayla and it has proven to be very helpful for pain. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470139420

 

Drugs

If you are undergoing treatment, check with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medications.  For instance because of leukemia we were told that Kayla could not take any ibuprophin drugs at any time.

It might be a good idea at the beginning of treatment to ask what drugs are okay to take while on your particular treatment.  Personally, knowing what you can use, ahead of time, just in case, is much better than suddenly having terrible pain and having to wait for an answer from your doctor.

If there is a situation with chronic or acute pain from treatment or the cancer itself, do not just live with the pain.

1. Talk to your doctor.
2. If you get a prescription pain medication find out the lowest dose and maximum dose.
3. Personally, I have a preference for liquids because I can start with a low dose and slowly increase the dose as needed.  Rather than starting at the high end and then having to live with pain because of reaching the maximum dose.
4. Your body can build up a tolerance to the medications.  This is why I always try to start at the low end of the scale.  This allows for room to increase the dose if the pain is severe.

Pain medications have to be taken on a schedule.  Otherwise, the pain comes back and then it is much harder to get it under control.  The idea is to keep the pain under control.

Rule: Take the prescribed pain medications on the schedule dictated by your doctor.  If this is not enough, ask your physician if there is another medication that can be taken in between.

When Kayla has gone through rough times she took 12hour morphine in the morning and at night.  In between these times she also would take liquid morphine every four hours. When we followed this regimen, the difference was night and day in her ability to be able to relax without pain.

Nerve Blocks: We looked into this thinking it might be an option for Kayla because she had severe nerve pain from one of her chemotherapy drugs.  Her doctor’s said that nerve blocks are a last resort action.  He told us it is a painful procedure and does not always work.  There are also increased chances for complications.

Exercise

Believe it or not, light exercise, can produce incredible results with pain.  Of course it depends upon the source of the pain but it is worth a try.  A short walk, stretches, light weights, etc., can all be of benefit.    When Kayla was bedridden our physical therapist showed us exercises that could be done in bed.  We started with five-minute intervals and I saw with my own eyes the difference this produced in such a short period of time.  The exercise page on this site has photographs and suggestions on how to exercise from your bed.

The Magic Pill

After decades of drug marketing through many varied mediums we have all come to believe that things can be fixed with a magic pill.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  There is NO MAGIC PILL, it does not exist. Yet, for some unknown reason man has searched through out the ages looking for this magic bullet that will fix multiple problems.  Please face this falsehood for yourself and try to look at actual facts.  There is no such pill in existence.

There is always a price paid when one uses drugs.  This might seem like a broad generality, but after 15 months of treatment, this is the one lesson that I have thoroughly learned.  THERE IS ALWAYS A PRICE.  It could be addiction, side effects, worsening of a condition, etc.  So, please! – use with caution and try safe alternatives instead of just going for the ever-loving-magic-pill-that-fixes-everything.