Symptom Management

Managing Symptoms Associated with Terminal Illnesses

Symptom management, in palliative care, is an ongoing comprehensive program. There are many troubling symptoms that are associated with terminal illnesses, but all of these can be managed and controlled by the palliative care team. If necessary, specialists such as anesthesiologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, neurologists and pain management specialists can be called for consultation and intervention.

Managing Pain

Pain is a commonly feared symptom of terminal illness, but it can be well controlled with the wide array of available medications and modalities. Medications used to manage pain include aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, and narcotics such as codeine and morphine. Physicians also use drugs that were designed to treat seizures or depression to help diminish pain. The optimal treatment of pain will depend on the cause and type of pain as well as the level of alertness of the patient.

Pain medication can be given orally, as injections, through I.V. lines or even as a patch on the skin. Many patients have used a PCA (patient controlled analgesia) pump that immediately delivers a dose of morphine at the push of a button. This system helps to diminish the anxiety that patients may have that their pain medication wouldn't be available when they needed it.

Managing Other Symptoms

Other symptoms associated with the end of life include nausea, shortness of breath, constipation, insomnia, fatigue, loss of appetite and anxiety. These too can be managed well. A comprehensive approach to assessment of the underlying cause will help guide choice of therapy and then many effective medications are available to ease these discomforts.