Alternative Treatments
Alternative treatments that may be used to manage
breast cancer pain include:
- Massage
- Acupuncture
- Acupressure.
Patients may also learn to relieve pain through relaxation techniques, such as listening to slow music or breathing slowly and comfortably.
Radiation
High-energy rays can help relieve pain associated with breast cancer by shrinking the tumor. Radiation therapy can be administered with or without hormone therapy.
Nerve Block
The doctor may inject alcohol into the area around certain nerves around the breast to block the breast cancer pain. This procedure is called nerve block.
A Summary of Breast Cancer Pain
A woman with breast cancer may experience pain. However, in most cases, there are several different options for controlling breast cancer pain, including medicines, alternative treatments, and (in rare cases) radiation or a nerve block.
Communication is essential for treating breast cancer pain. Your doctor or nurse will not know how much pain you're experiencing unless you tell them. You also need to tell them which medicines or treatments are working and which ones are not. With your help, your doctor or nurse will try to determine why you are experiencing pain and the best way to treat it.
If you have any questions about breast cancer pain in your particular situation, please ask your doctor, nurse, social worker, or pharmacist for more information.
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