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Pain Management

Managing pain caused from breast cancer treatments.

Young women diagnosed with breast cancer often face the extra challenge of pain. Remember: not every persistent pain means a cancer recurrence.

Causes of Breast Cancer Pain

Pain can result from a number of causes including:

  • Scarring and the overall healing process
  • Treatment side effects, like neuropathy
  • Fatigue

If you’re facing pain, you don’t have to “tough it out.” Talk to your healthcare team, and work with them to find a cause and a solution.

Coping with Pain

These tips can help you cope with any pain you may be experiencing:

  • Talk with your doctor, and make sure they know how much it hurts. Use the 0 to 10 pain scale, where zero means no pain and 10 means the worst pain. Tell your doctor exactly where it hurts, when it hurts and what the pain feels like. Also, share any medications you’ve taken or other remedies you’ve tried.
  • Use a pain diary (a log of your pain occurrences) to keep track of your pain. Our Health and Side Effect Diary can help you get started.
  • Ask to meet with a pain or palliative care specialist. They can include oncologists, anesthesiologists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, nurses or pharmacists and can offer you expert advice on controlling your pain.
  • Take advantage of all your options and explore various approaches—prescription medication, acupuncture, meditation, relaxation techniques and physical therapy, to name a few.
  • If you have insurance, make sure you know what your insurance company will cover.

Related Topics

Bone Health

Bone Health

Some cancer treatments make your bones more fragile, but there are proactive ways to keep them strong. Find out how to protect your bone health.
Chemo Brain

Chemo Brain

Many women report what they call "chemo brain" as a side effect of chemotherapy. It can include forgetfulness and feeling foggy, and it feels frustrating. Read some tips for making your brain clearer and more alert.
Early Menopause

Early Menopause

Most young women don't expect to go into menopause at this stage in their lives. The side effects can be challenging, but there are ways to alleviate the symptoms.

Fatigue

Breast cancer treatment can cause fatigue in both the long and short-term. You don't need to accept it as par for the course, though. There are things you can do to feel more energized and healthy.
Lymphydema

Lymphedema

Lymphedema—the buildup of fluid in soft body tissues—is a common side effect of breast surgery and/or radiation. Know how to recognize it, work to prevent it, or take action to lessen its discomfort by seeking professional help and making small changes on your own.

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Young Survival Coalition is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit organization dedicated to all young breast cancer survivors and their co-survivor support networks. YSC's EIN is 13-4057685.


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