Pain is a major factor affecting the quality of life of cancer patients.
Effective pain management is a very important aspect of improving survival in cancer patients. Measures of pain management presently being used are
- Analgesics are widely used as first choice of treatment for pain management in cancer. It is mostly been used based on the data available from non-malignant cases. It therefore fails to address the specifics required for pain in cancer.
- Opioids are a very commonly used measure for severe and chronic pain in cancer patients. The major side effect of opioids is constipation. It is often associated with nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, increased dose dependency, and addiction. Patients on opioids often experience drug tolerance which is the main cause of addiction.
- Radiation and Chemotherapy help reduce the size of the growth and thereby the pain, but the patient has to handle the discomfort of the treatment and its subsequent side effects.
- Surgery is useful to remove the affected part of any organ, but again, patient has to deal with the ill effects of the surgery and faces pain and discomfort till he recovers from the surgery.
Ayurvedic Principle of Pain Management :
All types of pain in the body is a result of abnormal rise of Vata dosha (one of the three bodily humor) in the tissues of the human body. The intensity of pain is directly proportional to the extent of the increase and the tissue or tissues besides the involvement of associated factors like age, season, the involvement of subtypes of Vata dosha and other doshas, involvement of dhatus, malas, bowel habits, type of cancer, size of the tumor, the involvement of nerves, etc.
Rasayu Cancer Clinic follows Ayurvedic principles of pain management stated in the texts. The research team of physicians of Rasayu Cancer Clinic has developed the following pain management methods on basis of clinical practice of over 25 years.
- Local application of medicated oil.
- Matra Basti.
- Shiropichu
Based on the route of administration they are broadly divided into three categories.
- Rectal route
- Local application on the affected area / skin as a route to introduce medicines
- Nasal application
Selection of pain management measure and route of administration depend on the type of cancer, location, type of tumor, the intensity of pain, and other critical clinical factors. According to severity patients may require either one or more measures. It helps in controlling and regulating the Vata dosha. This results in a reduction in the level of pain.
Benefits of Rasayu’s Pain Management Treatment :
All types of pain in the body is a result of abnormal rise of Vata dosha (one of the three bodily humor) in the tissues of the human body. The intensity of pain is directly proportional to the extent of the increase and the tissue or tissues besides the involvement of associated factors like age, season, the involvement of subtypes of Vata dosha and other doshas, involvement of dhatus, malas, bowel habits, type of cancer, size of the tumor, the involvement of nerves, etc.
Rasayu Cancer Clinic follows Ayurvedic principles of pain management stated in the texts. The research team of physicians of Rasayu Cancer Clinic has developed the following pain management methods on basis of clinical practice of over 25 years.
- Natural treatment
- Non-invasive treatment
- Non-addictive
- Movement becomes free and more coordinated
- No side effects
- Improves quality of life
Ayurveda has always approached any disease by addressing the root cause of the symptoms. Therefore, the approach to pain management is to annihilate the pathology which is the primary cause of the pain (the symptom), in the first place. When pain or symptoms reduce with Rasayu treatment, it should be understood that the pathology itself has reduced in intensity and that the disease is on the decline.
Till the time the symptomatic relief arrives, patients need to be given pain relief treatment that is essentially temporary in nature and does not address the pathology.
The methods of addressing pain as stated above helps to reduce the intensity of the symptoms. The procedures mentioned above help reduce the pain by reducing level of Vata dosha.
In severe cases, an integrative approach is advisable where acute pain can be managed by combined efforts of palliative pain management clinics and Ayurvedic pain management modalities. It is observed that patients respond well to such an integrated approach. Doses of pain killers reduce subsequently and patient lives significant pain-free life.
