Pain Management

Many patients experience some level of pain during hospitalization. Everyone feels pain differently, from dull aches to sharp, stabbing sensations. Managing your pain is very important because it can hasten recovery, shorten your hospital stay and improve your quality of life.

Pain can be either acute or chronic. Acute pain is caused by damage to tissues or organs and will go away after treatment or healing. Chronic pain lasts beyond the normal healing period.

Medications are available to help relieve pain, however some patients worry about side effects or addiction. Scientific reports reveal that less than one percent of patients develop problems with pain medications. Should you have concerns, please discuss them with your physician.

In addition to medications, other effective methods to relieve pain include massage therapy, heat and cold therapy, relaxation techniques, acupuncture/acupressure and music therapy.

Help with Pain Relief
We want to help relieve your pain. The first step is to determine your level of pain by using a Pain Assessment Chart. Your nurse or doctor may also ask the following questions:
• Where does it hurt?
• How bad is the pain?
• When did the pain start?
• How long have you had the pain?
• Is the pain constant or intermittent?
• Is it dull or sharp?
• Does it feel like a burning sensation?
• Does it feel like pressure?
• What makes it better or worse?
• Does it affect your sleep, concentration or mood?

Medication or alternate pain therapies will be prescribed and monitored to treat your pain. Please inform your nurse or doctor about the effectiveness of the prescribed therapy and any side effects you may experience. Treatment may be adjusted to achieve maximum relief.