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Palliative cancer care - pain - Background information
What is pain?
- Pain is a symptom, not a condition.
- It is a complex state that is influenced by multiple factors, including psychological, social, and spiritual [Foley, 2004; Fallon et al, 2006]:
- Cancer-related pain may be persistent or breakthrough (episodic). Breakthrough pain is of moderate or severe intensity and of two main types [Twycross and Wilcock, 2007]:
- Unpredictable (spontaneous) pain — not related to movement or activity.
- Predictable (incident) pain — related to movement or activity (for example, swallowing or coughing).
Table 1. Factors contributing to the sensation of pain.
Factors increasing pain sensation | Factors decreasing pain sensation |
|---|
Insomnia, fatigue | Sleep |
Anxiety, fear | Relaxation |
Depression | Elevation of mood |
Social isolation | Companionship, understanding |
Discomfort | Relief of other symptoms |
|
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