Some patients may prefer to try complementary or alternative treatments either alone or in combination with prescribed medications to relieve pain. It is important to keep in mind that each mesothelioma patient must work with their doctor to determine the best pain management plan for that individual.
If pain medications are the only option for pain management, a doctor or pain specialist may prescribe medications dependent on the type of pain being experienced by the patient. These include:
Somatic Pain
- Opioid medications – codeine, morphine, oxycodone, methadone, or oxymorphone
- NSAIDs – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Advil, Aleve, or Motrin
Visceral Pain
- Analgesics, such as gabapentinoids
- NSAIDs – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Advil, Aleve, or Motrin
- Opioid medications – codeine, morphine, oxycodone, methadone, or oxymorphone
Neuropathic Pain
- Anesthetics – lipoderm patches, capsaicin cream, ketamine, intravenous lidocaine and mexiletine
- Anti-Seizure – Neurontin, Lyrica
- Nerve blocks via injection
- Opioid medications – codeine, morphine, oxycodone, methadone, or oxymorphone
- Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCA) – Elavil, Pamelor, Tofranil, Sinequan, Norpramine
Remember, the goal of mesothelioma pain management is to enable the patient to reclaim his or her life, so taking pain medication as prescribed is key to reaching this goal.
While prescription medication is typical for mesothelioma pain management, there are techniques that the patient can employ independently to assist with these efforts. These include eliciting the relaxation response to help ease muscle tension and eliminate pain. This can be done through massage, the practice of yoga, meditation, and various breathing and visualization methods.
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