Many patients find non-drug treatments useful in managing their breakthrough pain; some patients use them in addition to drug treatments (while waiting for the drug to start working), whilst some patients use them instead of drug treatments.

The following treatments may be helpful, and are unlikely to cause significant side effects or other problems:

• Rest
• Exercise
• Change of position
• Heat – heat pad, hot water bottle
• Cold – cool pack, frozen food packs
• Rubbing / massage
• Relaxation techniques
• Distraction techniques
• TENS machine

Patients should consult their doctor / nurse before starting other forms of complementary therapy, since some of these therapies have the potential to interact with conventional treatments, and some of these therapies have the potential to aggravate the underlying condition (and so make the pain worse).

If you do decide to have some complementary therapy you should make sure that it is undertaken by a qualified person, that the person is aware of the cancer, and that your doctors / nurses are aware of the complementary therapy.  Complementary therapies should be used in conjunction with conventional treatments (and not instead of conventional treatments).