How Is Pain Medicine Given?
Some people think that if their pain becomes severe, they will need to receive injections or “shots.” Actually, shots are rarely given to relieve cancer pain. There are many ways to get the medicine. • Orally medicine is given in a pill or capsule form. • Skin patch a bandage-like patch placed on the skin, which slowly but continuously releases the medicine through the skin for 2-3 days. One opioid medicine, fentanyl, is available as a skin patch. This form of medicine is less likely to cause nausea and vomiting. • Rectal suppositories medicine that dissolves in the rectum and is absorbed by the body. • Injections – Subcutaneous (SC) injection medicine is placed just under the skin using a small needle. – Intravenous (IV) injection medicine goes directly into the vein through a needle. – Intrathecal and epidural injections medicine is placed directly into the fluid around the spinal cord (intrathecal) or into the space around the spinal cord (epidural). • Pump Patient-controlled analge
