Spinal x-ray
Cancerous tumors that affect the bone tend to cause pain. Tumors on the bones, whether from primary bone cancer or cancers that have spread from other parts of the body, are one of the most common causes of cancer pain.
Why You Experience Back Pain
When cancer forms on the bones of the spine, it compresses the spine and possibly surrounding nerves.
Radiation Therapy
Doctors often use radiation therapy to treat cancerous bone pain. This treatment can reduce the size of tumors and control their growth, which helps relieve the pain.
Medications
If you find over-the-counter pain relievers are not easing your back pain, talk to your doctor about stronger options. He can prescribe opioids such as oxycodone or codeine. Other medications, normally used for other purposes, can interfere with pain signals and might also be beneficial. They include antidepressants and anticonvulsants.
Nerve Blocks
Your doctor can inject certain substances into the area of the spine directly. These treatments, called nerve blocks, can relieve bone pain in the back.
Alternative Therapies
Mayo Clinic doctor Timothy Moynihan suggests that certain alternative therapies might be useful as well, including acupuncture, massage, meditation and relaxation techniques such as deep breathing.
Tags: bone pain
