Having cancer doesn’t guarantee that you’ll experience cancer pain, but having cancer that has either spread or returned will increase your chances of having pain.

Cancer pain comes in many forms. It can be achy, dull, sharp or burning. The pain can be intermittent, constant, mild, moderate or severe. The level of your pain depends on several factors, including, the type of cancer, the stage of cancer, and your pain tolerance.

What causes cancer pain?

If the pain comes from cancer itself, it can be from cancer growing into or destroying nearby tissue. As a tumour grows, it may compress the nerves, bones or organs in the area. Your tumour could also release certain chemicals that cause pain or produce a painful reaction in the body. Cancer treatment can help ease the pain in these situations. However, cancer treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, also can cause additional pain.

How can you help us understand your pain?

If pain interferes with your daily life or is persistent, let us know. It might help us to keep track of your pain if you keep a record of the following:

• How severe the pain is on a scale of 0 – 10.
• What type of pain you have
• Where you feel the pain
• Any specific activities which cause pain
• Anything that alleviates the pain
• Bring these notes along to your appointment, and we will create a customised treatment plan to help you relieve as much pain as possible.

Treatment options

At your first appointment, the team at Rehab Matters will ask you questions about your pain and fatigue, physical challenges, and practical issues such as your ability to work. This information will help us provide a custom plan for your unique needs. 

Each member of our team will work with you to develop a plan for his/her specific area of expertise. For example, our physical therapists will develop a plan to help you recover physical strength and mobility. Our Occupational Therapists can help you with returning to your usual activities at home, work and in the community. A speech-language pathologist assists with speech and swallowing problems. A vocational specialist may work with you to create a plan for you to return to work successfully.

The end goal is to help our patients learn how to cope with their level of mobility, and how to live a more comfortable life. 

Team and facilities 

Our team of Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists is committed to providing top-quality care to our patients and their families.

At Rehab Matters, complex rehabilitation and physiotherapy programs have repeatedly restored patients’ quality of life after a serious illness like cancer.

Using state-of-the-art facilities and dedicated staff, we’re able to customise treatment plans to suit your individual needs. We work very closely with our patients to help them achieve their personal goals.