This happens when a tumor either grows into the bones or starts pressing against them. This is a deep, aching pain and is usually chronic. Burning pain is also common for those with cancer. In some cases the tumor may be pressing on a nerve, causing a constant burning pain.
Other times nerve damage due to surgery or chemotherapy causes this pain. If you had an area of your body removed due to cancer, such as a mastectomy for those with breast cancer, you may experience phantom pain. Phantom pain happens when nerve endings still send pain signals, even though the body part is gone. Here are some important terms to know:. There are a number of different causes of cancer pain. For example, the pain can stem from a tumor itself or the damage that it has caused the surrounding tissue or organs.
For example, deep pain can occur in the bones from a tumor placing pressure on the bone, and burning pain can occur when a tumor presses against a nerve. There is also discomfort and pain associated with many cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy. In some cases, the pain you experience is associated with nerve damage. The nerves can be damaged during treatment or from the cancer itself. Additionally, nerves could be signaling the brain that damage is either occurring or could occur.
Pain can be managed, and does not have to be a crippling experience. There are traditional methods of pain relief, such as steroids or nerve blockers. However, there are also other ways to work through your experience. Consider alternate options such as massage, acupuncture or other natural pain relief remedies. Cancer pain can be stressful. Especially if that someone happens to be a person he has only recently met.
Does this happen? It does, and fairly often. People with cancer often find tremendous support and encouragement among people they meet in cancer support groups. Or perhaps they have an acquaintance who quickly becomes a close friend and confident because of a similar history of cancer in themselves or a loved one. This can be hard to understand and very painful emotionally for loved ones who are left out in this way. Why is your friend baring her heart to that almost stranger when you have been there for him every step of the way?
Keep in mind that discussing difficult topics and sharing intimate fears is draining. If your friend with cancer is not including you in some of these discussions, don't take it personally. It doesn't mean you are any less important in his life. It may be that he only has enough energy to share those difficult feelings once, and wishes to do so with someone who is experiencing or has experienced something similar. As a final note, there is one commonly shared sentence that needs mentioning. The problem is that while the words are usually spoken lovingly in an attempt to make someone with cancer feel less alone, they can do just the opposite.
Those words are, "I know just how you feel. Do you ever feel too busy, or hear someone complain about being busy? If you answered no, you probably don't live within a thousand miles of me. Now take that and add for starters, appointments:. Next add in educating yourself about your cancer, after all, being diagnosed with cancer is like registering for crash courses in anatomy and genetics and pharmacology, all in a foreign language unless you're well versed in Latin.
Even just thinking about how overwhelming cancer is, well, overwhelming. Understanding just a bit about how overwhelming cancer can be, can make the difference between being a good friend or a great friend to someone with cancer. As with most of life, it's usually just the tiniest straw in the end that breaks the camel's back. In analogy, it's often something very simple and inconsequential that makes a day go from OK to awful for someone with cancer or vice versa.
Hearing someone use the words "you need to" or "you should" in front of nearly anything could tip that camel in the wrong way. In contrast, the simplest gestures—a card in the mail, or even a two-sentence email of support—could strengthen that camel so it stood tall and strong.
Is there any way you can remove just one tiny straw from the back of the camel for a friend with cancer? They will never forget your kindness. Though anger is talked about less than some emotions when it comes to cancer, it's very common. Cancer is maddening. First, there can be the "Why me? Certainly, the schedule of cancer treatments and symptoms, which do not follow a schedule is maddening.
Not only is it exhausting, but it interferes with everything else you could be doing and enjoying. Then there is functioning within the medical system, which can be maddening in any number of ways.
Imagine a waiting room full of anxious people who are uncertain about the future and have questions that nobody can answer with certainty. As noted above, it's important for people with cancer to express their anger and hurt feelings. Sometimes it just takes just a few moments of a friend's ear to make the clouds dissipate and the sun reappear.
Cancer isn't a sprint, it's a marathon—but the marathon doesn't have a finish line. With the exception of some blood-related cancers and some very early stage solid tumors, most cancers can't be "cured.
The first roller-coaster is that of diagnosis and initial treatment. If you manage to make it through that phase, the next phase arrives: coping with the fear that a cancer that is gone will recur , or that a cancer that is stable, will progress.
The final roller coaster phase occurs for too many still. When cancer progresses. Then comes a roller coaster of trying to find treatments to extend life, of trying to decide when it's time to stop cancer treatment , and sadly, trying to decide how to prepare for the end of life. In other words, no matter what type or stage of cancer a person has with only a few exceptions cancer can feel unending.
It's important to point out once again that people can and do enjoy their lives even with advanced cancers, but feelings aren't wrong. They just are. There will be times for most when that never-ending marathon leaves us wanting to step off the track for even just a day and be someone who doesn't carry identification saying she is a cancer survivor.
Cancer can be painful but that hurt is not always visible to someone on the outside. Pain can cause irritability. That irritability, in turn, can make someone say negative things they would otherwise not say, or do things they would otherwise not do.
If you ever feel hurt by your friend with cancer or are surprised by his reaction to something, ask yourself: "Is it pain speaking? Cancer pain is one of the greatest fears for people with cancer. Though good treatments are available, many people are afraid to talk to their healthcare providers about cancer pain treatment options. For some, it is the fear of addiction.
For others, it's the desire to be "brave. There are two sides to this. Certainly, it is better if medications aren't needed. Almost any drug can have side effects, and usually the more medications the more side effects. Yet studies say that cancer patients—at least those with advanced cancers—are under-treated for pain.
What can you do as a friend? When you're sad, you may have very little energy, feel tired, or not want to eat. For some, these feelings go away or lessen over time. But for others, these emotions can become stronger. The painful feelings don't get any better, and they get in the way of daily life. This may be a medical condition called depression. For some, cancer treatment may have added to this problem by changing the way the brain works. Depression can be treated.
Below are common signs of depression. If you have any of the following signs for more than 2 weeks, talk to your doctor about treatment.
Be aware that some of these symptoms could be due to physical problems, so it's important to talk about them with your doctor. If your doctor thinks that you suffer from depression, he or she may give you medicine to help you feel less tense. Or, he or she may refer you to other experts. Don't feel that you should have to control these feelings on your own.
Getting the help you need is important for your life and your health. If you feel guilty, know that many people with cancer feel this way.
You may blame yourself for upsetting the people you love, or worry that you're a burden in some way. Or, you may envy other people's good health and be ashamed of this feeling. You might even blame yourself for lifestyle choices that you think could have led to your cancer.
These feelings are all very common. It may help you to share them with someone. Let your doctor know if you would like to talk with a counselor or go to a support group.
When I start to feel guilty that I caused my illness, I think of how little kids get cancer. That makes me realize that cancer can just happen.
It isn't my fault. People with cancer often feel lonely or distant from others. This may be for a number of reasons:. You may miss the support you got from your health care team. Many people have a sense that their safety net has been pulled away, and they get less attention. Some of them may think that now that treatment is over, you will be back to normal soon, even though this may not be true.
Look for emotional support in different ways. It could help you to talk to other people who have cancer or to join a support group. Or, you may feel better talking only to a close friend or family member, or counselor, or a member of your faith or spiritual community. Do what feels right for you. Some people see their cancer as a "wake-up call.
They go places they've never been. They finish projects they had started but put aside. They spend more time with friends and family. They mend broken relationships. It may be hard at first, but you can find joy in your life if you have cancer. Pay attention to the things you do each day that make you smile. They can be as simple as drinking a good cup of coffee, being with a child, or talking to a friend.
You can also do things that are more special to you, like being in nature or praying in a place that has meaning for you. Or, it could be playing a sport you love or cooking a good meal.
Whatever you choose, embrace the things that bring you joy when you can. People have found that when they express strong feelings like anger or sadness, they're more able to let go of them. Some sort out their feelings by talking to friends or family, other cancer survivors, a support group, or a counselor.
But even if you prefer not to discuss your cancer with others, you can still sort out your feelings by thinking about them or writing them down. Sometimes this means looking for the good even in a bad time or trying to be hopeful instead of thinking the worst. Try to use your energy to focus on wellness and what you can do now to stay as healthy as possible.
Some people believe that they got cancer because of something they did or did not do. But scientists don't know why one person gets cancer and one person doesn't. All bodies are different. Remember, cancer can happen to anyone. Many people say they want to have the freedom to give in to their feelings sometimes. It can be hard for people to know how to talk to you about your cancer.
Often loved ones mean well, but they don't know what to say or how to act. You can make them feel more at ease by asking them what they think or how they feel. Whatever activity helps you unwind, you should take some time to do it. Meditation , guided imagery , and relaxation exercises are just a few ways that have been shown to help others; these may help you relax when you feel worried.
Getting out of the house and doing something can help you focus on other things besides cancer and the worries it brings. Exercise or gentle yoga and stretching can help too. You may like hobbies such as woodworking, photography, reading, or crafts. Or find creative outlets such as art, movies, music, or dance. Some people say that putting their lives in order helps.
He said that he felt that he was always suffering from a very intense attack of flu or any other virus. All the pain she felt was during the operation, the chemo and the radiation therapy. The pain was so intense that it even made her unforgettable. Many people say there is no pain when asked "What does cancer feel like. Cancers can only cause pain when the tumor presses on the nerves close to the region in which it is growing. If the tumor stays clear of the nerves, you won't feel any pain because of it.
Cancers can also cause other symptoms like fatigue, weight loss and fever even if they cause no pain. This happens because most of the body's energy is taken up by cancer cells. In some cases, cancer cells release substances that reduce the body's capability of turning food into energy. Since cancer also affects the immune system, such symptoms might also generate as an immune system malfunction.
Cancer is also capable of causing symptoms that are not commonly linked with it. For instance, a few pancreatic cancers release substances in the bloodstream that create blood clots in the leg's veins. A few lung cancers release substances that increase the levels of blood calcium, which in return affects both muscles and nerves and causes the person to feel dizzy and weak.
Since the answer to "what does cancer feel like in its initial development" is nothing different with other illness, you won't be able to pick up the scent of cancer on your own at the beginning anyways. So, the best you can do is to get yourself checked by a doctor regularly.
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