“Will I have to endure this pain until the very end?” — a question many patients and families are afraid to ask aloud. Our team’s answer: it does not have to be that way. Most pain and distressing symptoms can be relieved with systematic, attentive care.
Pain is something to treat, not to endure
Pain management in palliative care begins with careful assessment — where the pain is, what it feels like, how severe it is, and how it interferes with daily life. The medical team then selects medications step by step, from basic analgesics through to opioids (such as morphine), together with adjuvant medicines matched to the type of pain. In selected patients, specialised interventional pain procedures may also be considered.
Common misunderstandings about morphine
- “Morphine will make me an addict.” When used to treat pain under medical supervision, at doses matched to the pain, the risk of addiction is very low.
- “We should save morphine for the very end, or nothing stronger will be left.” Doses can be safely increased as pain requires. It is enduring unnecessary pain that truly erodes quality of life.
- “Morphine hastens death.” Used correctly and according to established practice, morphine relieves pain and breathlessness without shortening life.
Other symptoms we care for
Beyond pain, our team manages breathlessness, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, constipation, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, and low mood — using both medications and non-drug approaches such as positioning, a gentle fan for breathlessness, relaxation techniques, and emotional support.
Our goal is simple: to keep patients comfortable enough to spend precious time with the people they love, doing what is meaningful to them.
Always tell us when pain remains
The most helpful thing a patient or family can do is to tell the care team honestly how things really are. Please never feel you are complaining, or that it is too small to mention — your reports are the key that lets us adjust care precisely where it is needed.
Note: this article is for general information. All medications must be used under the supervision of a physician.