Pain control

This has become more sophisticated during the last few years.
Pain control drugs can be seen as a ladder.

The ladder starts for mild pain with paracetamol, and non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

It moves on for more serious pain to codeine or dihydrocodeine in combination with paracetamol. For the most serious pain, stronger drugs such as tramadol or morphine are used, although other drugs are used if morphine gives the patient unacceptable side effects.

Side effects of morphine based drugs include nausea and vomiting, but this can often settle as the body gets used to the treatment over a few days. Other drugs can be given at the same time as morphine to counteract nausea and vomiting. Constipation is a very common effect of morphine, so that laxatives are often given as well. Morphine and similar opiate drugs can also cause drowsiness and sometimes confusion.

Pain control, or palliative care, is now a specialist area of medical practice.

It is very important that all mesothelioma patients should find the best pain control advice available to them.

You can ask to be referred to a palliative care expert, who will be based at a hospital or hospice. It is best not to leave this until the end stage of the disease.

Copyright © Anthony Coombs 2006