How many studies do we need before healthcare providers will understand that people with pain and people with cancer AND pain are suffering and need PAIN RELIEF.

Another newsflash hit the newswires today: Many cancer patients receive insufficient pain management therapy

The press release says:

Between November 2005 and April 2006, 106 radiation therapy patients responded to an Internet-based questionnaire that evaluated their medication use, pain control and attitudes toward pain medication, including prescription and over-the-counter pain medications. Fifty-eight percent reported pain from their cancer treatment and 46 percent of patients reported pain directly from their cancer, yet 80 percent of those patients said that they did not use medication to manage their pain.

Most patients said the main reason they did not take pain medication was because their healthcare provider did not recommend it. This reason was followed by a fear of addiction or dependence and the inability to pay. Some patients also reported using alternative therapies for pain relief, including physical therapy, massage and acupuncture.

What?? “Most patients said the main reason they did not take pain medication was because their healthcare provider did not recommend it.” They can’t be serious. It wasn’t recommended?

C’mon folks, we’re not talking a hangnail here – we’re talking about pain that can be caused by the tumor or cancer itself, infections, changes in the body, trauma, anything – and their doctors aren’t recommending pain relief??

What more needs to be done before people who need pain relief will get it without having to battle for it?

~~~

If you would like to leave a comment, please go back to the original page. Thanks!

Tags: chronic pain blog, pain blog, cancer pain, inadequate pain relief, pain relief, alternative therapies, massage, acupuncture

How many studies do we need before healthcare providers will understand that people with pain and people with cancer AND pain are suffering and need PAIN RELIEF.

Another newsflash hit the newswires today: Many cancer patients receive insufficient pain management therapy

The press release says:

Between November 2005 and April 2006, 106 radiation therapy patients responded to an Internet-based questionnaire that evaluated their medication use, pain control and attitudes toward pain medication, including prescription and over-the-counter pain medications. Fifty-eight percent reported pain from their cancer treatment and 46 percent of patients reported pain directly from their cancer, yet 80 percent of those patients said that they did not use medication to manage their pain.

Click here to read more.

~~~

Tags: chronic pain blog, pain blog, cancer pain, inadequate pain relief, pain relief, alternative therapies, massage, acupuncture