Pain and palliative care focuses on giving comfort and support to people who are living with a life-altering condition or serious health problems. It helps reduce pain, manage symptoms, and improve day-to-day life. This care also supports family members and carers who walk this journey with the patient.
Palliative care is different from hospice care and is not only for people with terminal illness. It can be started at any stage of illness. If you are dealing with a condition that has changed your life, palliative care can help you feel better, stronger, and more at ease.
Pain and palliative care is a specialised type of medical care for people living with serious, long-term, or life-changing illnesses. The main focus is on reducing pain, managing symptoms, and improving quality of life.
This care looks beyond the illness. It focuses on the person as a whole — body, mind, and emotions. Pain is not always the same for everyone. Some people feel physical pain, while others feel emotional stress, anxiety, or fear. Pain and palliative care understands this and treats pain in a complete and caring way.
Pain in palliative care can include everyday problems that people struggle with, such as back pain that does not improve, joint or arthritis pain, nerve pain that feels like burning or tingling, cancer-related pain, or pain after a long illness or surgery.
Some people have pain that becomes worse at night, affects sleep, or makes simple daily activities difficult. Pain and palliative care helps identify the cause of such pain and manage it safely.
Pain management in palliative care means carefully understanding the type and level of pain a person has. It also focuses on choosing the safest and most effective way to control that pain. Treatment may include medicines, supportive therapies, counselling, and guidance for family members.
Palliative care is not the same as hospice care. It is also not only for the last stage of life. It can be started at any stage of illness, even from the time of diagnosis. It works along with regular medical treatment and adds an extra layer of comfort and support.
Simply put, pain and palliative care is about living better, not just longer.
Palliative care can be provided in different settings, depending on what services are available near you and what suits your needs best. This care can be offered in several ways, including:
Many people feel unsure about when to ask for palliative care. Some think it means giving up on treatment. This is not true. In reality, pain and palliative care helps people live with strength, comfort, and dignity, no matter their age or stage of illness.
You can receive palliative care at any age, whether you are newly diagnosed, living with a long-term illness, or receiving treatment to cure or control your condition.
You should consider pain and palliative care if:
Pain and palliative care is helpful for people living with many health conditions, including but not limited to:
The importance of pain management in palliative care lies in helping patients stay active, comfortable, and emotionally balanced. It also provides much-needed support to families and caregivers who look after their loved ones every day.
Pain and palliative care supports people with many different health conditions. The goal is not to treat only one disease but to reduce suffering and improve comfort in daily life.
Some common conditions include:
Cancer can cause pain, tiredness, nausea, and emotional stress. Pain relief in palliative care helps manage cancer pain as well as side effects caused by treatment.
Patients with heart failure, COPD, asthma, or other breathing problems benefit from palliative care to ease breathlessness, chest discomfort, and fatigue.
Conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and motor neurone disease can cause pain, stiffness, weakness, and difficulty in movement.
Advanced kidney or liver disease may lead to pain, swelling, loss of appetite, itching, and general weakness.
Long-term back pain, arthritis, nerve pain, and body pain that does not improve with regular treatment can be managed through pain management in palliative care.
Older adults often live with more than one health issue. Pain and palliative care helps them stay comfortable, calm, and supported. Pain and palliative care focus on how the illness affects everyday life, not just on test reports or scans.
It is best to consult a pain and palliative care specialist early, before pain or symptoms become severe or difficult to control.
You should seek help when:
Early palliative care can:
Choosing pain and palliative care is not a sign of weakness. It is a step towards better care and a better quality of life.
Every year, Pain and Palliative Care Day is observed to spread awareness about the need for proper pain relief and compassionate care for people living with serious illnesses.
At CMRI Hospital, Kolkata, pain and palliative care is provided with kindness, respect, and medical expertise. We believe every patient deserves comfort, dignity, and understanding.
At CMRI Hospital, Kolkata, we are here to walk with you—with care, compassion, and commitment.
A patient can receive palliative care for as long as it is needed, from the time of diagnosis and throughout the course of the illness.
Yes, palliative care is very helpful for elderly patients with long-term or multiple health conditions to improve comfort and quality of life.
Yes, palliative care can be provided at home, depending on the patient’s needs and the services available.
A palliative care team usually includes doctors, nurses, counsellors, and other healthcare professionals who work together to support the patient and family.
Yes, palliative care also supports mental and emotional health by helping patients and families cope with stress, anxiety, and emotional challenges.
© 2024 CMRI Kolkata. All Rights Reserved.
