Some Cancer Pain Relief Without Drugs

Imagery

Imagery is using your imagination to create mental pictures or situations. The way imagery relieves pain is not completely understood. Imagery can be thought of as a deliberate daydream that uses all of your senses — sight, touch, hearing, smell, and taste. Some people believe that imagery is a form of self-hypnosis.

Certain images may reduce your pain both during imagery and for hours afterward. If you must stay in bed or can't leave the house, you may find that imagery helps reduce the closed-in feeling; you can imagine and revisit your favorite spots in your mind. Imagery can help you relax, relieve boredom, decrease anxiety, and help you sleep.

How to Use Imagery

Imagery usually works best with your eyes closed. You may want to use a relaxation technique before using imagery. The image can be something like a ball of healing energy or a picture drawn in your mind of yourself as a person without pain (for example, imagine that you are cutting the wires that send pain signals from each part of your body to your brain). Or think of a pleasant, safe, relaxing place or activity that has made you happy. Exploring this place or activity in your mind in great detail can help you feel calm.

Here is an exercise with the ball of energy.

* Close your eyes. Breathe slowly and feel yourself relax. * Concentrate on your breathing. Breathe slowly and comfortably from your abdomen. As you breathe in, say silently and slowly to yourself, "In, one, two." As you breathe out, say, "Out, one, two." Breathe in this slow rhythm for a few minutes. * Imagine a ball of healing energy forming in your lungs or on your chest. It may be like a white light. It can be vague. It does not have to be vivid. Imagine this ball forming, taking shape. * When you are ready, imagine that the air you breathe in blows this healing ball of energy to the area of your pain. Once there, the ball heals and relaxes you. * When you breathe out, imagine the air blows the ball away from your body. As it goes, the ball takes your pain with it. * Repeat the last two steps each time you breathe in and out. * You may imagine that the ball gets bigger and bigger as it takes more and more discomfort away from your body. * To end the imagery, count slowly to three, breathe in deeply, open your eyes, and say silently to yourself, "I feel alert and relaxed." Begin by moving about slowly.

Problems that may occur with imagery are similar to the ones that occur with the relaxation techniques.

Distraction

Distraction means turning your attention to something other than the pain. People use this method without realizing it when they watch television or listen to the radio to "take their minds off" a worry or their pain.

Distraction may be used alone to manage mild pain or used with medicine to manage brief episodes of severe pain, such as pain related to procedures. Distraction is useful when you are waiting for pain medicine to start working. If the pain is mild, you may be able to distract yourself for hours. Distraction can be a powerful way of relieving even the most intense pain for awhile.

How to Use Distraction

Any activity that occupies your attention can be used for distraction. Distractions can be internal, for example, such as counting, singing mentally to yourself, praying, or repeating to yourself statements such as "I can cope." Or distractions can be external, for example, doing crafts such as needlework, model building, or painting. Losing yourself in a good book might divert your mind from the pain. Going to a movie, watching television, or listening to music are also good distraction methods. Slow, rhythmic breathing can be used as distraction as well as relaxation. Visiting with friends or family is another useful distraction technique.

You may find it helpful to listen to rather fast music through a headset or earphones. To help keep your attention on the music, tap out the rhythm. You can adjust the volume to match the intensity of the pain, making it louder for very severe pain. This technique does not require much energy, so it may be very useful when you are tired.

After using a distraction technique, some people report that they are tired, irritable, and feel more pain. If this is a problem for you, you may not wish to use distraction or to be careful about which distraction methods you use and when you use them.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a trance-like state of high concentration between sleeping and waking. In this relaxed state, a person becomes more receptive or open to suggestion. Hypnosis can be used to block the awareness of pain, to substitute another feeling for the pain, and to change the sensation to one that is not painful. This can be brought on by a person trained in hypnosis, often a psychologist or psychiatrist. You can also be trained to hypnotize yourself.

During hypnosis, many people feel similar to the state we experience when we begin to awaken in the morning. We can't quite open our eyes, but are very aware. We can hear sounds inside or outside our house. Our eyes remain closed, and we feel as though we either can't or don't want to wake up and open our eyes.

People can easily be taught, by a hypnotherapist, to place themselves in a hypnotic state, make positive suggestions to themselves, and to leave the hypnotic state.

Choose a hypnotherapist who is licensed in the healing arts or who works under the supervision of someone who is licensed. To locate a therapist skilled in hypnosis, contact the behavioral medicine department at a cancer center near you.

Skin Stimulation

In this series of techniques, the skin is stimulated so that pressure, warmth, or cold is felt, but the feeling of pain is lessened or blocked. Massage, pressure, vibration, heat, cold, and menthol preparations are used to stimulate the skin. These techniques also change the flow of blood to the area that is stimulated. Sometimes skin stimulation will get rid of pain or lessen pain during the stimulation and for hours after it is finished.

Skin stimulation is done either on or near the area of pain. You can also use skin stimulation on the side of the body opposite the pain. For example, you might stimulate the left knee to decrease the pain in the right knee. Stimulating the skin in areas away from the pain can be used to increase relaxation and may relieve pain.

* If you are having radiation therapy, check with your doctor or nurse before using skin stimulation. * If you are receiving chemotherapy, check with your doctor before using hot or cold packs. * You should not apply ointments, salves, or liniments to the treatment area, and you should not use heat or extreme cold on treated areas.

Massage

Using a slow, steady, circular motion, massage over or near the area of pain with just your bare hand or with any substance that feels good, such as talcum powder, warm oil, or hand lotion. Depending upon where your pain is located, you may do it yourself or ask a family member, friend, or a massage therapist to give you a massage. Some people find brushing or stroking lightly more comforting than deep massage. Use whatever works best for you.

Precaution:

* If you are having radiation therapy, avoid massage in the treatment area as well as over red, raw, tender, or swollen areas.