Painkillers for metastatic bone cancer

The pain of patients with metastatic bone cancer will be characterized by local fixed and persistent dull pain, which will be more severe during activities, especially at night. So are there any painkillers that can relieve the pain of metastatic bone cancer? What should we do when we are in pain? Let's listen to what the experts say:

Generally speaking, patients with metastatic bone cancer will get some relief from pain when they rest, so they should try to reduce the activity of the affected area, maintain a comfortable position, and avoid touching the painful area. Patients should be advised to eat less and drink less water at dinner, empty their abdomen and soak their feet in hot water before going to bed; because pain will affect the patient's sleep, they should also take sedatives and analgesics as prescribed by the doctor to promote sleep.

Be cautious when using painkillers.

① First-tier non-opioid analgesics: used for patients with mild cancer pain. The main drugs include aspirin, acetaminophen (paracetamol), etc. Auxiliary drugs can be used as appropriate.

② Second-tier weak opioid analgesics: used when non-opioid analgesics cannot provide satisfactory analgesia or for patients with moderate cancer pain. The main drug is codeine. It is generally recommended to be used in combination with first-tier drugs because the two types of drugs have different mechanisms of action. First-tier drugs mainly act on the peripheral nervous system, and second-tier drugs mainly act on the central nervous system. The combination of the two can enhance the analgesic effect. Auxiliary drugs can also be used as needed. ③ Third-tier strong opioid analgesics: used to treat moderate or severe cancer pain, when the first-tier and second-tier drugs have poor efficacy. The main drug is morphine, and auxiliary drugs can also be used as appropriate.