Medicine and other treatments can almost always relieve cancer pain. Treating pain is an important part of good cancer care. Pain relief can also help you enjoy life more.

• All the places it hurts
• How strong the pain feels
• What makes the pain worse
• What eases the pain
• How much relief you get from medicines you now take

• What medicine(s) can you give me to relieve my pain?
• How and when should I take the medicine(s) and for how long?
• What side effects are common? What should be done id they occur?
• Should I try non-drug methods to relieve my pain, too, like relaxation or massage?

FACT: When cancer pain medicines are given and taken in the right way, patients rarely become addicted to them. To be sure, talk to the doctor, nurse or pharmacist about how to use pain medicines safely.
Many patients only need pain medicines for a time, until the cause of their pain goes away. When they are ready to stop taking the medicine, the doctor gradually lowers the amount of medicine they take. By the time they stop using it completely, the body has had time to adjust.
Some patients will need to take pain medicines for the long-term. Taking medicines regularly should not make you feel like an "addict". You are following your doctor's advice and getting a treatment you need.

FACT: You have a right to ask for pain relief. In fact, telling the doctor or nurse about pain is what all patients SHOULD do. The sooner you speak up, the better. It's often easier to control pain in its early stages, before it becomes severe.

FACT: Most people do not get "high" or lose control when they take cancer pain medicines in the right way. You may feel sleepy when you first take some pain medicines, but this feeling often goes away after a few days.
A few people get dizzy or feel confused when they rake cancer pain medicines. Tell the doctor or nurse if this happens to you. Changing your dose or type of medicine usually can solve the problem.

Help yourself by asking your doctor or nurse for pain relief when you need it. It's your right. Then find out how to take your medicines safely, and follow your doctor's advisory.