Pain is not only an inevitable result of the disease, but can also be caused by the treatments used to combat the disease, such as chemotherapy, radiation, and various surgical procedures. As a matter of fact, pain will probably be a regular occurrence for mesothelioma patients and its management may become one of the most important factors in dealing with the disease, especially in its latter stages.

What Causes Pain?

Technically speaking, pain is defined as a stimulus transmitted throughout the body by the central nervous system as a result of nerves detecting bodily damage. When damage occurs, an impulse is sent along nerve pathways to the brain, which interprets the impulses as pain.

But that medical jargon means little to those who are suffering. What mesothelioma patients understand is that pain, no matter what causes it, can severely compromise their way of life.

Pain can affect many areas of the patient's life and the lives of those around them. Ignoring it or thinking you can or should be able to "handle it" on your own can lead to stress, anxiety, frustration, and lots of unnecessary suffering. Severe pain can interfere with:

• Eating - When you hurt, you don't want to eat. Eating properly, however, is important in fighting any disease, cancer included. Managing your pain means you'll probably be better able to eat normally.
• Sleeping - It's essential to have a good night's sleep, especially when you're in the middle of treatments like chemo or radiation. Pain inhibits sleep and the lack of sleep causes other reactions as well, such as anxiety or loss of appetite.
• Work - If you're trying to maintain your job or are attempting to work at home, consistent pain will no doubt interfere with that. This can cause a lot of anxiety, especially if you're dependent on the income from your job. Even if you're not employed outside the home, pain can make it difficult to do tasks around the house, such as cleaning or cooking.
• Travel - If you've enjoyed leisure trips or visits to friends and family before your disease, you should understand that pain may make travel difficult.

Talking about Pain

Many people - men in particular - see the inability to handle pain as a weakness. That couldn't be further from the truth. We're all accustom to acute pain, such as that caused by a headache or perhaps a muscle injury, and some of us muster through that pain with little or no assistance from medications. However, the pain caused by mesothelioma is in a different league and needs to be addressed.

Doctors can only estimate the level of pain you'll feel during a certain stage of the disease or after a particular surgery or treatment. That's why it's so important to keep the lines of communication open when it comes to being honest about pain and your need to manage it effectively. You MUST tell your doctor how you're feeling and if your currently prescribed pain medications are doing the job when it comes to controlling your pain.

The level of pain changes as the disease progresses and you may be feeling new kinds of pain in different places at different times. It's often helpful to jot down some facts about your pain so that your oncologist knows what you're facing. Some factors to consider might be:

• The time of day when your pain is at its worst
• Where the pain is located
• The intensity of the pain
• What causes the pain to increase or decrease
• How often the pain occurs and how long it lasts (if pain is intermittent)
• How the pain is affecting your lifestyle or essential everyday tasks
• How much relief you're receiving from your current method of pain medication

Prescribing Pain Relief

Doctors who treat mesothelioma are familiar with the course of the disease and the pain usually associated with it. They may suggest a host of different pain managing drugs, from over-the-counter remedies to much stronger prescription varieties. An informed patient asks questions about these drugs before they take them so as to avoid any problems with these medications. Feel free to ask:

• What medications are available to help control the type of acute or chronic pain you are currently experiencing
• The most common side effects of each medicine
• How much of this drug is too much and how long you should continue taking it
• Whether pain medications will adversely interact with other drugs you may be taking at this time

If your pain relievers make you feel disoriented or otherwise unable to function properly, ask if you can lower your dose or change pain medication. It's normal to suffer such side effects with most opiate pain relievers.

Staying Comfortable

Pain is frightening, especially as mesothelioma progresses and the patient nears the end of his/her life. As a matter of fact, at that point, the patient may even be totally unable to share their need for pain medication. All terminal mesothelioma patients should clearly communicate their end-of-life wishes with their medical team as well as family members or friends before reaching that point, when it may be too late. State your wishes succinctly and talk with your loved ones or caregiver about the importance of abiding by your wishes.