In the last issue of BMT Newsletter, we examined the various types of pain BMT patients and survivors may experience, and discussed the various drugs used to control it. In this issue we'll focus on non-drug pain relief techniques that, if used in conjunction with pain medications, can help ease discomfort. Olympic athletes do it.
Football stars do it.
In fact everyone, at some time or another, has relied on non-drug pain control methods to relieve discomfort. When a child falls and bruises himself, for example, a parent may show him an interesting toy or try to engage him in an activity to take his attention away from the pain. Women preparing for childbirth often take Lamaze or other pre-natal classes that teach them how to use breathing exercises and other forms of relaxation to alleviate pain and make labor and delivery a more pleasurable experience. While drugs are the primary source of pain relief for BMT patients, research has shown that non-drug therapies can enhance the pain relief provided by drugs for many patients. Non-drug pain control techniques are not a substitute for effective pain medications, but are important tools that can help patients better manage their pain.