GRANER, Karen Mendes; COSTA JUNIOR, Aderson Luiz    ROLIM, Gustavo Sattolo. Oncology pain: complementary and alternatives interventions to drug treatment. Temas psicol. []. 2010, 18, 2, pp.345-355. ISSN 1413-389X.

The World Health Organization - WHO considers pain associated with cancer a "worldwide medical emergency." In oncology, it is one of the most frequent complaints of patients with cancer and a peculiar variable that requires treatment. This becomes even more relevant to the extent that people experience discomfort and adverse emotional impact from the diagnostic testing procedures to conventional therapy. In addition to the pharmacological treatments used for pain management, such as opioids, complementary and alternative therapies are provided by health professionals, and sought after by patients. For this, thare are some physical , mechanical and cognitive techniques , cited by WHO and literature. Psychology contributes to a wide variation of techniques such as relaxation, visualization, distraction directed, biofeedback, deep breathing, educational groups, modeling, systems of rewards (positive reinforcement), testing behaviors, etc.. Complementary and alternative therapies aim to reduce the suffering caused and / or sharp pain, and promote quality of life in different stages of treatment concomitantly to clinical usual. However, it is necessary to perform more controlled studies, demonstrating the effectiveness of techniques for pain control in oncology and to identify the best management, so an alternative or complement to drug treatment.

: Pain management; Oncology; Treatment.

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