Your thoughts, emotions, beliefs and perceptions can cause you physical pain even without tissue damage and contribute to your cancer pain. Release your pent up emotions, anxiety and stress; change your limiting beliefs and perceptions of cancer pain and manage your pain differently.

The complexities of cancer pain management

Cancer pain is one of the most feared and distressing elements of the Cancer journey. It impacts many aspects of your life and your overall quality of life.

If untreated, it can lead to severe debilitation, misery, depression and suicide. Cancer pain is a very serious condition that requires attention and good management.

The prevalence of pain in Cancer patients has been reported to be between 50% and 70% and 65% for advanced Cancer.

For Cancer patients, the choice of pain relieving drugs is limited. Generalised medications for pain relief can interfere with Cancer medications, thus limiting their use. In addition, some patients are either reluctant or unwilling to take further medications, or are unable to tolerate the side effects. The net result of these complications is that many Cancer patients receive insufficient pain management therapy.

Your thoughts and emotions can cause physical pain

Scientists have known for many years that pain is modulated on many levels before it is experienced. It is well understood that pain is a multifaceted phenomena, with biological, emotional, social, spiritual and psychological aspects.

Thus a pain input felt by one person as a “slight discomfort” may be experienced as a greater discomfort by someone else.

Modern thinking accepts that pain is inseparable from emotions and pain can exist even without any tissue damage. This approach is based on a landmark theory called the “Gate Theory” (Melzack R, Wall P. Pain Mechanisms: A new theory. Science 1965; 50: 156-161)

“Gate Theory” in Pain Management

Gate theory postulates a spinal cord control mechanism in the Dorsal Horn that receives ascending and descending signals from nerve tracts and weighs integration of these inputs. Ultimately, pain perception is determined by how these inputs are weighed.

The importance of Gate Theory in the treatment of Cancer patients is that descending cortical inputs that affect pain perception include psychological and psychological variants such as belief about pain, emotions, reactions to stress and thoughts.

Therefore...

...interventions that target malfunction of thought, belief, emotions and stress can change pain perception and thus the experience of pain itself.

This concept has led to advances in controlling pain on behavioural and psychological levels and this is precisely the areas that we work with to help you change your experience of pain.

Stress, anxiety, emotional pain, perceptions and belief all modulate pain. Resolve these aspects and change the way you experience your pain. Find out how by visiting ourconsulting website, orcontact ustoday to book your consultation.

Phantom Pain and Phantom Sensations

Phantom pain and phantom sensations are experienced by a significant number of Cancer patients post surgery.

Because of the fears that the presence of pain in a missing body part is irrational and may indicate that one is “losing one’s mind”, many patients do not discuss or report these symptoms. Hence, the true figures for those affected are hard to know.

Phantom pain and sensation have been reported by over one in three patients after mastectomyclick here.

Surprisingly, women who choose to have breast reconstruction surgery are just as likely to experience phantom pain and sensation as women who opt not to undergo reconstructive surgery.

Figures for the incidence of phantom limb pain are higher still. As many as 50% to 80% of patients who undergo amputation report the experience of pain in their missing body part.

Although phantom pain is common and easy to diagnose, its causes remain unclear. There are different theories, ranging from psychological, neurological, to the combination of both, with a varying degree of scientific support for each theory.

As such, it can be difficult to manage by conventional medicine – even though phantom pain was first described over 500 years ago!

Some complementary therapies used in pain management have scientific support

Cancer patients use a range of Complementary modalities for the management of pain. For some of these modalities there is either scientific evidence or promising preliminary results for their role in pain managementclick here, click here. Some are deemed to be safe, non invasive and relatively free from toxicity.

Some complementary modalities are offered through the NHS, Cancer centres, service providers and charities. The more common modalities are effective at providing short term temporary pain relief.

Approaches such as Acupuncture, massage and mind-body interventions, have been shown to reduce pain and enhance quality of life. It should be noted that not all complementary therapies are appropriate for, or useful to Cancer patients.

Even helpful complementary modalities may not be optimal under some circumstances.

For example, some botanical products and dietary supplements are not recommended during Chemotherapy, radiation, or when surgery is planned, as they can interfere with prescription medication and adversely affect the efficacy of some Chemotherapy drugs.

Your perception and underlying beliefs can contribute to your cancer pain

In the search for pain management, one area that is neglected by both patients and many medical professionals is the addressing of the patients’ pain perception and underlying beliefs.

Beliefs about cause, control, duration, outcome and blame are significant factors in the experience of pain. Research has indicated that quality of life in chronic pain sufferers is associated more with beliefs about pain than pain intensityclick here.

Change your limiting beliefs and perceptions of your cancer pain and manage your cancer pain differently. Release your pent up emotions, anxieties and stresses and improve the quality of your life. Find out how by visiting ourconsulting website, orcontact ustoday to book your consultation.

Our Approach to cancer pain management

We believe that the goal of Cancer pain management is more than just the relieving of pain; it is the maintenance of your normal quality of life and your overall sense of well being. We believe that the best way to achieve this is through an Integrative Approach where complementary modalities work side-by-side with mainstream medicine.

Experience our exclusive unique approach to cancer pain management. Regain your control and the freedom you need throughout your journey through Cancer. Find out how by visiting ourconsulting website, orcontact ustoday to book your consultation.

Change your life today … Live, don’t just survive

At The Naked Gene Juggler, our approach to pain management is unique.

It is multilayered and encompasses goals for short term pain relief, whilst at the same time dealing with the underlying psychological and emotional issues, beliefs and perceptions of Cancer pain.

The overall aim is to provide a long lasting strategy for your cancer pain management.

The benefits of our approach are far reaching and go beyond cancer pain management itself. It will directly impact upon your relationship with Cancer. It gives you back control and empowers you to improve your quality of life.

Take the opportunity to be the director of your own life

Ready to make a change?

To find out more and book your initial constulation, visit our consultancy sitetoday.