If Your Cancer Treatment Causes Bone Pain

Some cancer treatments can cause bone pain. Bone pain can feel like a dull ache, a burning sensation, or a sharp, intense pain. It can range from mild to severe. The pain can affect your ability to function and your quality of life. If you have bone pain, consider keeping a diary to help your doctor figure out what is causing your pain and what may help relieve it. Consider tracking:

• What you were doing when the pain started
• What the pain felt like (achy, sharp, dull)
• How long the pain lasted
• If the pain was constant or intermittent
• What made the pain better or worse
• How severe the pain was
• If the pain interfered with your daily activities, like walking and sleeping

Bone pain can be caused by many things, such as:

• The cancer itself if you have bone cancer or a cancer that has spread (metastasized) to a bone
• Medicines called granulocyte colony stimulating factors (G-CSFs). They help your body make more white blood cells. They are used to prevent infection when your white blood cell counts are low.
• Hormone therapy used to treat cancer
• Some chemotherapy medicines

Your doctor can determine the cause of your bone pain.

If your bone pain is caused by cancer that spread to your bones, your doctor may advise ways to shrink the bone tumors. Sometimes the treatment for your main type of cancer can also help shrink bone metastases. Other treatments may include radiation or surgery. Treatment choices depend on the type and location of your cancer. Ask your health care team about the best choice for you.

If your bone pain is caused by G-CSF medicines or hormone therapy, talk with your health care team. In some cases, they may change your medicine or dose. Or they may recommend other medicines or strategies to reduce pain.

These are steps you can take to further reduce your discomfort. Talk with your health care team about these choices before starting any new medicines or treatments.

Common over-the-counter medicines may be enough to reduce mild pain. Or your doctor may prescribe stronger pain medicine. Always talk with your doctor before starting any new medicines.

Many people get pain relief from alternative methods, such as:

• Acupuncture
• Massage
• Relaxation methods
• Meditation
• Heat or cold packs

Always discuss these choices with your doctor first before trying any new therapies.