This is a universal sensation that is expected to occur at certain times of the day or after certain types of activities. Tiredness usually has an identifiable cause, is short-lived and is easily dissipated by a rest or a good night's sleep or rest. Whether acute or chronic, fatigue can have a profound negative impact on the quality of life. As fatigue begins to change what cancer patients can do for themselves, family or caregivers begin to assume many of the roles the patient used to perform for themselves. These increased demands can lead to fatigue in family members as well as social isolation for both patients and their families.
Fatigue is also related to pain and is worse when there is inadequate pain control.
The drugs used for pain control may have sedative producing effects and contribute to fatigue. When pain occurs, it must be continually assessed and evaluated by the medical team or a pain management specialist. They will then define the pain according to its intensity, quality, and frequency and recommend the appropriate intervention. In a movement that has gained increasing momentum during the past twenty-five years, the medical community is giving pain the special attention it deserves. Today, many hospitals have special pain centers and pain-management programs.