Virginia Cancer Pain Initiative hosted free conference
On October 2, the Virginia Cancer Pain Initiative hosted a free pain management conference for cancer patients and their families. The event was co-hosted by the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine and the American Cancer Society.
Dr. Tina Smusz is the Director of Palliative Care at Carilion New River Valley Medical Center, and she wants patients to know that pain isn’t something they should be ashamed of. She said that pain management will make their cancer treatments more effective over time.
There are hundreds of pain medications available, and doctors can work with patients to find the right drug with the least troubling side effects for them. The right drugs can bring pain down to a manageable level or even make it disappear completely. Some patients are able to regain hope and live longer after their pain is under control. Smusz has seen patients in hospice who began eating and sleeping properly once their pain was under control, to the point where they left hospice and resumed aggressive care.
For the full story, go to WDBJ.
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