Step I For patients with mild to moderate pain, the use of non-opioids is the treatment of choice. Again, adjuvants may or may not be used. For moderate to severe pain, opioids should be used, with or without non-opioids, and with or without adjuvants. Psychotherapy A complex array of psychological and emotional variables play a role in the suffering that a patient with cancer pain experiences. The level of emotional distress that a cancer pain patient feels varies individually, depending on many factors such as personality and family support.
Untreated pain leads to many cancer suicides.
Psychotherapy is an important part of cancer pain management. The goals of psychotherapy are to provide emotional support and stability, and to help patients adapt to their crisis situation. Many patients are frightened by the potential damage to the nervous system that these kinds of treatments can cause. Anesthetics are substances that block nerves so that they can no longer transmit pain signals. There are many others.