www.cancer.gov 39 Pain What it is and why it occurs Some types of chemotherapy cause painful side effects, such as burning, numbness, and tingling or shooting pains in your hands and feet. They can also cause mouth sores, headaches, muscle pains, and stomach pains. Pain can be caused by the cancer itself or by chemotherapy. Doctors and nurses have ways to decrease or relieve your pain. Be sure to tell your doctor or nurse if you have pain. Ways to manage pain Talk about your pain with a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. Be specific and describe: Î Where you feel pain. Is it in one part of your body or all over? Î What the pain feels like. Is it sharp, dull, or throbbing? Does it come and go, or is it steady? Î How strong the pain is. Describe it on a scale of 0 to 10. Î How long the pain lasts. Does it last for a few minutes, an hour, or longer? Î What makes the pain better or worse. For instance, does an ice pack help? Or does the pain get worse if you move a certain way? Î Which medicines you take for pain. Do they help? How long do they last? How much do you take? How often? Let your family and friends know about your pain. They need to know about your pain so they can help you. If you are very tired or in a lot of pain, they can call your doctor or nurse for you. Knowing about your pain can also help them understand why you may be acting differently.
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