file.newsgroup.med.59066 Maven / Gradle / Ivy
From: [email protected] (greg w. luft)
Subject: Relief of Pain Caused by Cancer
I am not sure if this is the proper group to post this to but here goes anyway.
About five years ago my mother was diagnosed with having cancer in the lymph nodes
under one of her arms. After the doctors removed the cancerous area she had full movement
of her arm with only slight aching under her arm when she moved it. Over the course of
the next two years the aching got more severe and her complaining to the doctors produced
the explanation that it was scar tissue causing the pain. At this time her doctor
suggested that some physiotherapy should be employed to break up the scar tissue.
While attending one of her therapy sessions, while her arm was being
manipulated, some damage occured (nerve?) which caused the level of pain to permanently
increase severly (controlled by Tylenol 3s) and some loss of use of the arm (
palsied wrist and almost no outward lateral movement). With great persistence on her part
the doctors looked further into the issue and discovered that not all of the cancer had
been removed and another tumor had grown under the arm. This was removed also but the
pain in the arm has not decreased. The doctors are not sure exactly why the pain is
persisting but feel some sort of nerve damage has occured and they have employed Tylenol 3
and soon Morphine to relieve the pain. She has tried acupuncture by this only provides
minor reductions in pain and is only short term.
My questions are:
Has anyone has heard of similar cases and what, if anything, was done to reduce the
levels of pain?
Are their methods to block nerves so that the pain can be reduced?
Are their methods to restore nerves so that loss of arm function can be restored?
Any general suggestions on pain reduction would be greatly appreciated.
Please respond by email because I do not always get chance to read this group.
If anyone knows of some literature that may be useful to this case or another newsgroup
that I should be posting this to it would also be appreciated.
--
Gregory W. Luft Internet: [email protected]
Chevron Petroleum Techonology Company Tel: (403) 234-6238
500, Fifth Ave. S.W. Fax: (403) 234-5215
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 0L7