How to Reduce the Pain Caused by Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a trickier form of cancer to treat and diagnose, simply because symptoms may not develop until later stages of the cancer's progress. Once symptoms do begin to appear, however, it's critically important that treatment begin. There is pain and discomfort both from the mesothelioma and the treatment, but there are ways to reduce the pain with the help of medication and even lifestyle changes.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet access

1. Stop smoking prior to or as soon as treatments for mesothelioma begin. Smoking is known to dramatically increase the pain caused by mesothelioma and treatment. Stopping smoking will noticeably reduce the pain you'll endure.
2. Talk to your doctor about clinical trials both for treatments and for drugs that can be used to reduce the pain caused by mesothelioma. Some drugs are being tested as painkillers, so it's important that you understand that some painkillers interact unfavorably with chemotherapy.
3. Learn about alternative medicines and treatments available to reduce the pain caused by mesothelioma. Things like herbal teas are popular, as are acupuncture sessions. Talk to your doctor about which methods are safe for you to try while undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Look into Tai Chi, meditation, chiropractic care, nutrition changes and/or ozone therapy.
4. Keep your doctor informed about any specific pain you may be enduring during your cancer treatments. With your doctor's help, you can determine if the pain is a result of the treatment working or an indication that there are additional problems that need to be addressed.
5. Follow your doctor's advice closely in regards to lifestyle changes. Lose weight, get more exercise and change your diet if those are aspects she recommends you change. These changes are often the first and most effective ways of reducing the pain associated with cancer and mesothelioma.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask your doctor about any and all options available to reduce the pain associated with mesothelioma and cancer treatment.
• Ask your doctor about any concerns you may have about painkiller addiction. Once your treatments are done, follow up by weaning yourself off pain medication in the manner and at the pace your doctor recommends.
• You have the right, as granted by the Patient's Bill of Rights, to know the details of any and all treatments currently in use or under clinical trials.
• Recognize the signs of depression and anxiety. You can ask for a mental health worker to be added to your healthcare team.