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Complementary therapies for cancer pain

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Abstract

Pharmacologic treatment of pain does not always meet patients’ needs and may produce difficult side effects. Complementary therapies, which are safe, noninvasive, and generally considered to be relatively free of toxicity, may be used adjunctively with standard pain management techniques to improve outcome and reduce the need for prescription medication. Approaches such as acupuncture, massage therapy, mind-body interventions, and music therapy effectively reduce pain, enhance quality of life, and provide patients with the opportunity to participate in their own care. Such therapies have an important role in modern pain management.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1429 First Avenue (74th Street), New York, NY, 10021, USA

    Jyothirmai Gubili MS

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  1. Barrie Cassileth MS, PhD
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  2. Carrie Trevisan BA
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  3. Jyothirmai Gubili MS
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Correspondence to Jyothirmai Gubili MS.

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Cassileth, B., Trevisan, C. & Gubili, J. Complementary therapies for cancer pain. Current Science Inc 11, 265–269 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-007-0202-8

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