If you have mesothelioma, you’ve probably begun to experience some pain. With that pain can come worries about what lies ahead. This is totally understandable. It’s natural to worry about pain and to have questions about dealing with the discomfort of mesothelioma.
Fortunately, you and your family have lots of palliative care options to choose from. These will help you get through your treatments as comfortably as possible.
At Kazan, McClain, Lyons, Greenwood and Harley, we’ve spent countless hours helping people with asbestos exposure explore their legal and medical options during all stages of mesothelioma. Here are some things we’ve learned about how you can minimize pain caused by the disease.
1. Remember that worrying about pain is normal. It’s a sign that you’re concerned about your health and planning for the future.
2. Keep in mind that your doctors will be consistently focused on keeping you as pain-free as possible. Abdominal aches, twinges and generalized pain are some of the most common symptoms of mesothelioma. For this reason, most treatments for the disease are specially designed to increase your comfort level.
In the first stages of mesothelioma, your doctor will probably talk to you about your oral and intravenous medication options. Pain-relieving drugs are available in many different strengths, depending on what you need.
Be honest with your physician about your pain level. Don’t try to tough it out. You deserve to be as comfortable as possible.
If you have symptoms like nausea or trouble swallowing, there are medications that can reduce these symptoms.
In the more advanced stages of mesothelioma, you will have the opportunity to consider surgeries that remove fluid or tumor tissue from your chest. This can ease pressure in your abdomen, helping you breathe freely, improving your ability to swallow and soothing chest or back aches caused by mesothelioma.
Radiation therapy has also been proven to decrease mesothelioma-related pain. This treatment may have side effects like nausea, exhaustion or tender skin, but doctors can minimize these irritations with medication.
At Kazan, McClain, Lyons, Greenwood and Harley, we also recommend talking to a pain management specialist.
These professionals can explain your advanced options, like implants that deliver pain-killing compounds directly to the spinal cord, giving you maximum relief and allowing you to spend pain-free time at home.
Pain management specialists can also teach your loved ones to help you with your at-home regimen. Using palliative care and family assistance, you can stay at ease and maintain a comfortable quality of life as long as possible.
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