Words To Know
Acupuncture (ACK-yu-punk-chur): Small needles are inserted into the skin at certain points of the body to relieve pain.
Acute pain: Pain that is very bad but lasts a fairly short time.
Addiction (uh-DIK-shin): Drug craving, seeking, and use that you can’t control.
Analgesic: A drug that reduces pain.
Anesthesiologist (an-uh-steez-ee-YAH-luh-jist): A doctor who specializes in giving medicines or other drugs that prevent or relieve pain.
Anticonvulsant (an-tee-kuhn-VUHL-sint): Medicine used to treat seizures that can also be used to control burning, stabbing, and tingling pain.
Antidepressant (an-tee-duh-PRES-int): Medicine used to treat depression that can also be used to relieve tingling, stabbing, or burning pain from damaged nerves.
Biofeedback: A way of learning to control some body functions such as heartbeat, blood pressure, and muscle tension with the help of special machines. This method may help control pain.
Breakthrough pain: An intense rise in pain that occurs suddenly or is felt for a short time. It can occur by itself or in relation to a certain activity. It may happen several times a day, even when you’re taking the right dose of medicine.
Chemotherapy (kee-moh-THAIR-uh-pee): Treatment with anticancer medicines.
Chronic (KRAH-nik) pain: Pain that can range from mild to severe and is present for a long time.
Complementary treatment: Treatment used along with standard medical care.
Deductible: The amount you must pay for health care before insurance begins to pay.
Distraction: A pain relief method that takes the attention away from the pain.
Dose: The amount of medicine taken.
Generic: The scientific name of a drug, as opposed to the brand name. Also, drugs not protected by trademark.
Hypnosis (hip-NOH-sis): A person enters into a trance-like state, becomes more aware and focused, and is more open to suggestion.
Imagery: People think of pleasant images or scenes, such as waves hitting a beach, to help them relax.
Integrative medicine: Combines standard medical care and complementary and alternative medicine, for which there is some high-quality evidence of safety and effectiveness.
Intravenous (in-tra-VEE-nus): Within a blood vessel. Also called IV.
Intravenous infusion: A way of giving pain medicine into a vein or under the skin. An infusion flows in by gravity or a mechanical pump. It is different from an injection, which is pushed in by a syringe.
Laxative: Something you take to help you pass solid waste, or stool, from your body. There are many different kinds of laxatives.
Narcotics (nahr-KAH-tiks): See opioids.
Nerve block: Pain medicine is injected directly into or around a nerve or into the spine to block pain.
Neurologist: A doctor who specializes in the treatment of nervous system disorders.
Neuropathic (noor-AH-path-ik) pain: Pain that occurs when treatment damages the nerves.
Nonopioids (nahn-OH-pee-yoidz) : Acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.
Nonprescription: Over-the-counter drugs that you can buy without a doctor’s order.
NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs): Medicines that control mild to moderate pain and inflammation and reduce fever. Can be used either alone or together with other medicines.
Oncologist (ahn-KAH-luh-jist): A doctor who specializes in the treatment of cancer.
Oncology (ahn-KAH-luh-jee): The study and treatment of cancer.
Onset of action: The length of time it takes for a medicine to start to work.
Opioids (OH-pee-yoidz): Also known as narcotics. They are used to treat moderate to severe pain. A prescription is needed for these medicines.
Oral: By mouth.
Pain threshold: The point at which a person becomes aware of pain.
Palliative (PAL-ee-yuh-tiv) care: Care given to improve quality of life and/or slow cancer’s growth. The goal is to prevent or treat the symptoms, side effects, and psychological and emotional problems of the disease. Not meant to be a cure.
Patient-controlled analgesia (an-ull-JEEZ-ya) (PCA): A way for a person with pain to control the amount of pain medicine he or she receives. When pain relief is needed, the person can press a button on a computerized pump connected to a small tube inserted into the vein or under the skin. Pushing the button delivers a preset dose of pain medicine.
Phantom pain: When pain or other unpleasant feelings are felt from a missing (phantom) body part that has been removed by surgery.
Physical therapy: Treatment for pain in muscles, nerves, joints, and bones. This treatment uses exercise, electrical stimulation, and hydrotherapy, as well as massage, heat, cold, and electrical devices.
Prescription: A doctor’s order.
Qi (chee): What is believed to be a life force energy.
Radiation therapy: Treatment with high-energy x-rays to kill or control cancer cells.
Relaxation techniques: Methods used to lessen tension, reduce anxiety, and manage pain.
Side effects: Problems caused by a medicine or other treatment. Examples are constipation and drowsiness.
Skin patch: A bandage-like patch that releases medicine through the skin and then into the bloodstream. The medicine enters the blood slowly and steadily.
Standard treatment: The treatment that is accepted and most often used.
Stage: The extent of disease. It can also be a phase of a clinical trial.
Steroids: Medicines that reduces swelling and inflammation.
Stool softeners: Medicine that softens the solid waste in your body, making it easier to pass.
Subcutaneous (sub-kyu-TAY-nee-yus) injection: A shot under the skin.
Sublingual: Under the tongue.
Supplements: Vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other things you can take besides medicines.
Tolerance: Occurs when the body gets used to a medicine. The result is that the dose no longer works well. Either more medicine is needed to control the pain or different medicine is needed.
Transcutaneous (tranz-kyu-TAY-nee-yus) Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS): A method in which mild electric currents are applied to some areas of the skin by a small power pack connected to two electrodes.
Transmucosal (tranz-myu-KO-sol): Absorbed through the lining of the mouth.
Withdrawal: Signs and symptoms that can appear when long-term use of opioids is stopped or suddenly reduced a lot.