• Chemotherapy can cause numerous side effects, depending in the medication being used. Some of the more common side effects that cause pain include mouth sores (mucositis), peripheral neuropathy (numb and sometimes painful sensations in the feet, legs, fingers, hands and arms), constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. Some people also experience bone and joint pain from chemotherapy medications and from some medications used to offset the impact of the chemotherapy on blood counts and on the risk of infection.

• Surgical treatments will, in some instances produce pain after they are completed. Your physician and nurse will provide medications and techniques to help you manage surgery-related pain.

• Procedures related to cancer pain, such as biopsies, blood draws, lumbar punctures, laser treatments, etc. can cause pain

No matter what the cause, most types of cancer pain can be managed with drug and non-drug therapies. However, cancer pain is not always adequately managed. While competent health care professionals should assume that people with cancer will need assistance to manage pain and ask you about it, if they do not, you or your family members must speak up and insist on having your pain relieved. Some physicians may not always prescribe the right medications or sufficient doses of the medication. If this happens, ask for more assistance and, if you choose, ask that a pain specialist work with you to develop a plan to manage your pain. Pain specialists are physicians and nurses who are experts in the field of pain management. For more information on finding a pain specialist, see What to tell your doctor.