Pain and Palliative Care Terms

A substance being studied in the treatment of peripheral neuropathy (pain, numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness in the hands or feet) caused by chemotherapy.

A substance being studied as a mouth rinse treatment for oral mucositis (painful mouth sores) caused by cancer therapy.

A substance produced in the brain, especially in the pituitary gland, that blocks the sensation of pain.

Bisphosphonates slow bone breakdown and are used chiefly for osteoporosis, along with certain cancer related bone conditions and Paget disease.

The necrosis (death) of bone tissue caused by treatment with a bisphosphonate (a drug or substance used to treat osteoporosis, bone pain caused by some types of cancer, and high blood calcium).

In traditional Chinese medicine, a condition described as slowing or pooling of blood, which may cause pain or other symptoms.

An abbreviation from older drug references for jaw bone that dies and stays exposed during treatment with bone strengthening medicines.

The pattern of what is weak and what is numb points to where along the nerve network the trouble actually sits.

Intense increases in pain that occur with rapid onset even when pain-control medication is being used.

A questionnaire used to measure pain.

Bupivacaine is a long acting local anesthetic widely used for regional nerve blocks, epidurals, and pain control after surgery.

Pain that worsens with joint movement, along with local swelling and warmth, are hallmark features of bursitis, inflammation of a fluid-filled cushioning sac.

Capsaicin is the compound responsible for the heat of chili peppers, used topically to help manage certain types of localized pain.

Pain that can range from mild to severe, and persists or progresses over a long period of time.

Comfort care focuses on relieving symptoms and improving quality of life, most often used to describe care provided near the end of life.

An enzyme that speeds up the formation of substances that cause inflammation and pain.

A muscle locking up on its own, briefly and painfully, most often in the calf, the foot or the abdominal wall.

An enzyme that speeds up the formation of substances that cause inflammation and pain.

A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to relieve pain and inflammation.

Its pain effect runs through descending spinal pathways, which is why it eases nerve pain in people who are not depressed.