Cancer Living With Different Types of Cancer Pain By Jaime R. Herndon, MS, MPH Updated on April 02, 2024 Medically reviewed by Gagandeep Brar, MD Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Acute Pain Chronic Pain Somatic Pain Neuropathic Pain Visceral Pain When It's Due to Cancer Frequently Asked Questions We know what pain feels like, but what actually is pain? According to the International Association for the Study of Pain, physical pain is an unpleasant sensory experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. For people living with cancer, pain may not be an early symptom but, instead, a sign that cancer has spread to nearby or distant tissues and organs. Cancer pain typically occurs when cancer spreads and affects nerves and other organs. When this happens, your healthcare provider may prescribe medication to help you manage your pain. Read on to find out more about the different kinds of pain you may experience with cancer. If you notice any new or other types of pain, let your healthcare provider know immediately. It may be easily treated and nothing to worry about, but you should evaluate it as soon as possible. FatCamera / Getty Images Acute Pain Acute pain refers to pain that is short-lived and the cause can be easily identified, such as from an activity or injury. This type of pain can come and go. It may also increase over time. Chronic Pain Chronic pain lasts longer than three months. Healthcare providers often have a tough time treating chronic pain because it can be hard to pinpoint. Somatic Pain Somatic pain is pain that is felt in the tissues of the body, like the bones, muscles, joints, and ligaments. It does not start in the internal organs but in the tissues surrounding them. This kind of pain is often said to feel like stabbing pain or aching pain. What Is Somatic Pain? Neuropathic Pain Neuropathic pain is often described as a burning or tingling sensation. It is caused by injury to one or multiple components of the nervous system (nerves, spine, or brain). The injury can include a tumor putting pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. Chemotherapy or radiation can also cause chemical or radiation damage to the nervous system resulting in pain. Neuropathic Pain Overview Visceral Pain The viscera are the soft, internal organs that are in areas of the body, like the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. So, visceral pain is pain felt in an organ in one of these areas. The origin of this kind of pain can be hard to locate exactly, as it can feel diffuse and wide-ranging. Once the type of pain has been established, then it is categorized into either acute pain or chronic pain. Signs That Pain May Be Due to Cancer The following are signs that your pain could be related to a cancer diagnosis: Pain is worse at night.Pain is not associated with trauma or a fall.Pain is associated with signs like weight loss, bleeding, fever, or general malaise.Back pain that is worse when bearing down. If you experience any of these types of pain, call your healthcare provider. Summary There are various kinds of pain, and knowing more about each type of pain can help you better describe the pain to your treatment team. Pain can be due to factors other than cancer, including treatment. Therefore, it's important not to panic when you notice any new type of pain. Be sure to consult with your healthcare provider, however. A Word From Verywell Pain does not have to be part of having cancer. If you are experiencing any pain, talk with your treatment team. They can evaluate your pain to locate its source, prescribe medication if necessary, and provide you with resources and remedies that can help relieve your pain. You don't have to suffer during your treatment. Frequently Asked Questions How do you know if your pain is from cancer? You don't know if pain is from cancer just from feeling it. When you go to your healthcare provider, they will do a physical examination and ask you questions about your overall health and the kind of pain you are having. They may send you for various tests, including blood work and imaging tests, to rule out any possibility of cancer. What is the most painful cancer? It depends. This is because it can depend on what body structures are affected, and where the cancer spreads to. Cancer that has spread to the bone can be very painful because of the nerves involved, and is one of the most common kinds of cancer pain. Common cancers like breast, lung, prostate, and lung cancers rarely cause pain where they originate. Does cancer pain come and go or is it consistent? It depends on what is causing the pain. But the pain can be better some days and worse on others. Is cancer painful in early stages? The degree of cancer pain depends on the kind of cancer you have. If you are having pain of any kind or notice any signs or symptoms of something not being right, see your healthcare provider. 6 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. International Association for the Study of Pain. IASP terminology. Treede RD, Rief W, Barke A, et al. A classification of chronic pain for ICD-11. Pain. 2015;156(6):1003-1007. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000160 Murphy PM. Somatic pain. Encyclopedia of Pain. 2007. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29805-2_4061 Zajączkowska R, Kocot-Kępska M, Leppert W, Wrzosek A, Mika J, Wordliczek J. Mechanisms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(6):1451. doi:10.3390/ijms20061451 Sikandar S & Dickenson AH. Visceral pain - the ins and outs, the ups and downs. Curr Opin Support Palliat Care. 2012;6(1):17-26. doi: 10.1097/SPC.0b013e32834f6ec9 National Cancer Institute. Managing cancer pain: Are better approaches on the horizon? Additional Reading American Cancer Society. Facts about cancer pain. National Cancer Institute. Cancer pain - patient version. The International Association for the Study of Pain. IASP terminology. By Jaime R. Herndon, MS, MPH Herndon is a freelance health/medical writer with a graduate certificate in science writing from Johns Hopkins University. Originally written by Lisa Fayed See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? 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