The complete guide to relieving cancer pain and suffering

A revised and expanded edition of the 1994 book You Don't Have to Suffer: A Complete Guide to Relieve Cancer for Patients and Their Families, this book is a comprehensive manual containing all the necessary information for making the best of living with a devastating disease and its miserable symptoms and side effects. Starting with why cancer pain is still an everyday tragedy despite modern medical techniques proven effective in almost every case, it goes on to give concrete suggestions for coping with the practical problems of dealing with cancer pain, from mild to severe. Addressing both the physical and psychological aspects of dealing with pain, the authors include details on medical treatments and medications as well as cognitive, psychological and spiritual approaches.

Part 1: Cancer and Its Pain. 1: How Cancer Pain Undermines Cancer Treatment, 2: Understanding Cancer and Pain, 3: Assessing Pain and Planning Treatment Strategies, 4: On Being an Active Health Care Consumer, Part 2: The Painkillers. 5: Understanding Medications Used to Treat Mild Pain, 6: Understanding Medications Used to Treat Moderate Pain, 7: Understanding Medications Used to Treat Severe Pain, 8: Understanding How Adjuvant Drugs Relieve Pain and Suffering, 9: High-Tech Options, Part 3: Other Approaches and Concerns. 10: Dealing with Constipation, Diarrhoea, Nausea and Vomiting, 11: Dealing with Other Side Effects and Discomforts, 12: Mind-Body Approaches to Easing Pain, 13: Special Cases: Children, the Elderly, and Patients with Special Needs, 14: Dealing with Feelings, 15: If Death Approaches, Appendix 1: Where to find more information, Appendix 2: Common drugs used for cancer pain and foreign names for the drugs, Appendix 3: Detailed relaxation instructions, Appendix 4: Planning for your mental and physical health care and treatment