Pain doesn’t just affect how people feel. It can change how they live.
For people living with serious or long-term illness, pain can make even the simplest parts of daily life a challenge. Effective pain management can help patients reclaim their comfort, independence and quality of life.
Palliative care plays an important role in making that possible. At University Health Network (UHN), palliative care is part of the Department of Supportive Care, reflecting its focus on helping patients live as well as possible throughout their illness. By addressing pain alongside other physical, emotional and psychological needs, UHN’s palliative care teams help patients manage the challenges of illness and focus on living well.
We are not the rain. We are the umbrella that protects you from the rain.”
– Dr. Camilla Zimmermann, Head of the Division of Palliative Care at UHN
Palliative care: Not just end-of-life care
One of the biggest misconceptions about palliative care is that it only becomes necessary when treatment ends or someone approaches death.
In reality, palliative care can begin much earlier, alongside treatment for a serious or long-term illness. For patients living with chronic illness, persistent pain can be one of the greatest challenges to their quality of life. Early access to specialized pain management can help ease that burden and make everyday life more manageable.
“Patients can see a palliative care team for many kinds of support – for their pain and symptom control, guidance with treatment decisions, caring for their family, psychological support,” says Dr. Camilla Zimmermann, Head of the Division of Palliative Care at UHN.
Research led by Dr. Zimmermann has demonstrated the benefits of introducing palliative care earlier. Her work has shown improvements in symptom control, patient satisfaction and quality of life among people with advanced cancer.
Unlike care provided for a specific episode of illness, palliative care can remain part of a patient’s treatment for months or even years, adapting as their needs change. By addressing pain and other symptoms throughout an illness, palliative care helps patients focus on living well, not simply managing their condition.
A whole-person approach to pain management
Managing pain effectively means looking beyond physical symptoms to understand the needs of the whole person.
UHN’s interdisciplinary palliative care teams include physicians, nurses, social workers, spiritual care professionals and other health care specialists.
Together, they help patients manage pain and other distressing symptoms, including fatigue, nausea, anxiety, depression and shortness of breath.
Persistent pain can take a toll on a patient’s emotional and psychological well-being, adding to the challenges of living with illness. By addressing both the physical and emotional impacts of pain, palliative care teams help patients manage its effects on their daily lives.
Making pain management a priority
National Pain Awareness Week is November 1–7. It’s an opportunity to recognize the impact of persistent pain. It also highlights the importance of effective pain management.
For people living with serious or chronic illness, pain should never be dismissed as something they simply have to endure. Through specialized palliative care, UHN helps patients access the support they need to manage pain and live life on their own terms.
