"Convergence·Food Safety Guide" series丨Are you doing the right thing to relieve pain? Tips for relieving pain at home

Generally speaking, pain is an uncomfortable feeling. Especially for patients in the late stage of cancer, pain is the most common accompanying symptom. There are many causes of pain, including pain caused by the tumor itself, such as tumor invasion of other organs, tissues, nerves, etc., and some psychological factors. Relieving pain is an important part of improving the quality of life.

In addition to medication, there are other ways to relieve pain. Here are some tips for relieving pain at home:

1. Take a comfortable position, lying or semi-lying, to relieve pain;

2. Divert attention by watching TV, reading books, etc.

3. Try to take deep breaths when you feel pain;

4. Choose light, high-protein, low-fat, non-irritating and easily digestible food. Do not overeat, eat small meals frequently, keep bowel movements smooth, and reduce abdominal distension to avoid inducing pain;

5. Keep your emotions stable. Excessive tension and anxiety can easily increase pain, so you need to improve your emotional state, including relaxing with massage, listening to music, planting flowers and plants, etc., to help divert your attention.

These pain relief methods are suitable for mild cancer pain or as an adjunct to conventional analgesics, but they are not enough for patients with severe cancer. When daily home care does not relieve cancer pain well, you need to go to the hospital in time to have a specialist help you adjust the appropriate medication and methods for treatment and pain relief.

Patients with cancer pain should take medication in stages according to the severity of the pain. They should take medication on time, rather than taking it when it hurts and not taking it when it doesn't hurt. Oral pain medication is the first choice. If oral administration is not possible, parenteral routes can be used: such as suppositories, patches, injections or intravenous administration.

Mild pain that is tolerable and does not affect normal work or study can be treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

Moderate pain is unbearable and can affect normal work, study, and even sleep. You can take weak opioids, such as tramadol sustained-release tablets;

Severe pain that is unbearable, seriously affecting work and study, and making it difficult to sleep can be treated with opioid analgesics as prescribed by a doctor, including oxycodone, fentanyl, morphine, etc. If pain occurs in a new area or the pain cannot be relieved, seek medical attention immediately.

This article was scientifically reviewed by Jiang Peidi, deputy chief physician of the Special Medical Department of the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.