End of Life Pain Q & A
"When someone is dying, time is a luxury and wait-and-see is not an option. What matters most in the final days is that patients are free of crippling pain and unbearable suffering so that they can finish their lives in ways that bring comfort, peace, and completion. Concerns about lasting side effects or diminished physical capacity from months of using a drug become secondary to making a patient comfortable. No one has to die in pain." — Dr. Scott Fishman
Pain and Fear of Death
How does fear of death affect pain at the end of life?
Narcotics as Terminal Pain Treatment
Are narcotics used differently when treating terminal pain compared with other types of pain?
Alertness and End of Life Pain
What can be done for someone who wants to be alert at the end of life?
Depression and End of Life Pain
Does depression commonly accompany end of life pain?
Breakthrough Pain
What is "breakthrough" pain and how is it controlled?