ABSTRACT
Deciding what is the best option for end-of-life care is not an easy matter. It is as hard for the patient as it is for the family; several factors must be considered. For people facing a terminal illness, worry over persistent and unremitting pain is uppermost in their minds. It is wise to know what to expect when it comes to pain control and management. Even the legal position has changed; there is acceptance of providing comfort care for dying patients as desirable, even if it hastens the dying process, as long as it is an unintended consequence of treatment. Assessing the amount of pain anyone experiences at the end-of-life can be very difficult, as pain is a highly subjective feeling. Because of existing legal prohibition, the doctor cannot prescribe a drug that will stop the suffering and end life quickly. There is one exception, however, and that is the use of the morphine drip.
