Cancer and pain control
Cancer Research UK is the largest cancer research organisation in the world outside the USA. We fund research on all aspects of cancer from its causes to prevention and treatment.
We are committed to producing high quality information for people affected by cancer. As well as looking at the information on this website you can call our nurse freephone helpline on 0808 800 4040. They are available from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Or you can send them a question online.
Contact our cancer information nurses
Cancer Chat is our online forum where you can share experiences.
A charity that is being run entirely by volunteers. They provide support, advice, and help to people affected by chronic pain and those close to them.
Telephone Pain line: 0345 603 1593 (Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm) Email:aopisat@btinternet.com
Write to: Action on Pain, 2 Mill Close, Terrington St Clement, Norfolk, PE34 4JG
Visit the Action on Pain website
A support group for anyone who suffers from chronic pain. They deliver self management training to help those with chronic pain.
Freephone: 0800 783 6059 (Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 4.30 pm) Email:info@painassociation.com
Visit the Pain Association Scotland website
Pain Concern offers information and support to people with pain and those who care for them. They run a helpline staffed by volunteers and have an online forum called HealthUnlocked for members to share experiences. You can listen to podcasts that feature interviews with experts and people managing their pain. You can also subscribe to their newsletter, Pain Matters.
Helpline: 0300 123 0789 Email:help@painconcern.org.uk
Visit the Pain Concern website
For general health advice and information.
NHS 111 online gives information if you need fast medical help but it's not a 999 emergency.
Information about NHS 111 online
NHS Inform gives information about illnesses, treatments and NHS services for people in Scotland.
Macmillan Cancer Support is a charity that gives practical and medical support to people with cancer in the UK. Its helpline offers support with clinical, emotional, general and welfare benefits needs. They also publish booklets about cancer and treatments. Information is available in other languages.
Freephone: 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week, 8am to 8pm) Contact email form
Visit the Macmillan Cancer Support website
ASTRiiD stands for ‘Available Skills for Training, Refreshing, Improvement, Innovation and Development’.
ASTRiiD is a not for profit organisation connecting businesses with people who have long term health problems, including cancer, but who still have skills to offer employers. A person can register their skills and experiences along with how much time they might be able to give to a potential employer. This might be a number of days a week or even just a few hours a month.
A company registers and highlights the skills and experiences that they are looking for in order to complete some work. ASTRiiD then compares these two registrations to see if there is match. If there is a good match then ASTRiiD will introduce one side to the other.
Email: hello@astriid.org
Read more on the ASTRiiD website
This is an online shop for daily living equipment for the disabled community, older people, or those who look after people with difficulty getting around.
Email:customerservice@essentialaids.com Phone: 01273 719 889
Visit the Essential Aids website
Offers mobility aids at low cost to help both elderly people and disabled adults and children. Has an extensive range of daily living aids and disability equipment.
Complete Care Shop 330 Four Oaks Rd Walton Summit Centre Preston PR5 8AP
Phone: 0300 1000 248 (Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm) Email:customerservice@completecareshop.co.uk
Visit the Complete Care Shop website
A Ko, E Rosenbaum and M Dollinger Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2009 ISBN 9780740786310
The author and contributors of this book are all American cancer specialists. The book covers how cancer is diagnosed, treated and managed day to day.
J F Kelvin and L B Tyson Jones and Bartlett Publishing, 2010 ISBN 978-0763777609
An American book which gives both doctor’s and patient’s views on coping with the symptoms of cancer and the side effects of treatment. It has information about treatment for pain, nausea, tiredness, and other symptoms.
SL Rose and RT Hara Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2009 ISBN 0763762571
An American book which gives information about caring for someone with cancer, including how to support them when they have symptoms or side effects.
A Bloch and others American Cancer Society, 2010 ISBN 978-0944235782
An American book but most of the information is relevant to the UK. It covers issues such as preventing weight loss and coping with dehydration, fatigue, and infection. It also discusses eating problems and digestion issues, such as swallowing problems, feeling sick and dealing with mouth sores. Focuses on survivorship and how to eat well after treatment.
Jane Freeman Sheldon Press, 2012 ISBN 978-1847091413
Written by a cancer dietitian, this is a practical handbook for people with cancer. Filled with helpful tips and recipes.
M Williams and others Guilford Press, 2007 ISBN 1593851286
An American book, but two of the authors are British researchers who are helping to promote mindfulness based cognitive therapy courses for people experiencing stress and depression in the UK. A CD of guided meditations is included with the book.
Dr P Mortimer and G Levine Elliott & Thompson, 2017 ISBN 1783962852
Explains the causes and symptoms of lymphoedema. Describes treatments, including massage, exercise, and compression garments. It also has information about coping day-to-day with lymphoedema.
From Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan support line: 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week 8am to 8pm) Website:www.macmillan.org.uk
Managing breathlessness
Managing cancer pain
Managing the symptoms of cancer
Coping with hair loss
Coping with fatigue
Healthy eating and cancer
How are you feeling? The emotional effects of cancer
Understanding lymphoedema
From The British Pain Society
Tel: 020 7269 7840 Email:info@britishpainsociety.org Website:www.britishpainsociety.org
Managing Cancer Pain – information for patients
Pain in Older People: Reflections and Experiences from an older person's perspective
Intrathecal drug delivery systems for treating pain and spasms – information for patients
Managing your pain effectively using 'over the counter' medicines
Participant information for pain management programmes
Pain and problem drug use – information for patients
Spinal Cord Stimulation for pain – information for patients
Use of medicines outside of their UK marketing authorisation in pain management and palliative medicine – information for patients
Opioids Aware: A resource for patients and healthcare professionals to support the prescribing of opioid medicines for pain
Understanding and managing long term pain
From NHS
Website: www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/10-ways-to-ease-pain/ - a webpage with some self help tips to bring some relief to problems with pain.
Last reviewed: 12 Jan 2024
Next review due: 12 Jan 2027
Here are some things you might want to ask your doctor about cancer pain.
Whether you are someone with cancer or a carer for someone with cancer, we want you to know that it is common to struggle with your mental health when dealing with a cancer diagnosis. But there are people who can support you during this time and things you can do to help yourself.
There are many different ways of treating cancer pain and different people who can treat it. A pain assessment can help you get the right treatment.
Whatever painkillers you have to treat cancer pain, it helps to know more about what you're taking and any possible side effects.
Search for the cancer type you want to find out about. Each section has detailed information about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, research and coping with cancer.
There are different causes and types of cancer pain, and many different ways of managing and treating it.
About Cancer generously supported by Dangoor Education since 2010. Learn more about Dangoor Education
Search our clinical trials database for all cancer trials and studies recruiting in the UK.
Connect with other people affected by cancer and share your experiences.
Questions about cancer? Call freephone 0808 800 40 40 from 9 to 5 - Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can email us.
