expertise

Why is Managing Pain so Important?

If you suffer with chronic pain, “sharp”, “stabbing” and “aching” are probably part of your daily life. If untreated or undertreated, pain can negatively impact every aspect of your life. Chronic pain can lead to depression and anxiety, loss of sleep and productivity, in ability to work, problems in your relationships, weakness and fatigue. What had been simple tasks, such as making the bed, grocery shopping or dressing, may be difficult because they now aggravate your pain.

Unfortunately, too many people with chronic pain are uncomfortable acknowledging and accepting their condition. Chronic pain is not visible to others and it remains poorly understood by patients, families and some health care providers. This can lead to isolation, embarrassment about its ongoing and unpredictable nature, and feelings of failure for not getting better. It’s so important to stay connected to others. Think about joining support groups to reach out to others who understand. PainAid is the American Pain Foundation’s (APF) online support forum which features ten live chats a week and more than 200 message boards. Go to www.painfoundation.org to join.

 

Understanding that chronic pain is not just a symptom, but a debilitation disease in itself is a new way of thinking. Until recently, pain was considered only as a symptom of a disease or condition, or just a natural part of aging. But we know that ongoing pain is harmful to the body. Pain should never be ignored. It should be assessed thoroughly and treated early and aggressively. This is the best way to minimize the suffering and is disability often associated with undertreated pain. When pain is managed, stress is reduced, and the body heals faster.

When people with pain work together with their health care team and take an active role in their pain management, they can get the best results possible—less pain and more involvement in life.

Types of Pain

Understanding the different kinds of pain that you may be experiencing (and the terms used to describe them) will help you to better communicate with your medical team.

• Acute Pain comes on suddenly, usually from an injury or surgery. It can usually be treated and lasts for a short period of time.

• Chronic pain lasts beyond the usual healing time for an illness or injury. It can last from months to years. At times it can go away completely, or it can remain constant.

There are a few different types of chronic pain.

Intermittent Pain is episodic. It may occur in waves or patterns. Mild-to-moderate intermittent pain is often treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), adjuvant medicines, and nondrug therapies. Moderate-to-severe intermittent pain may be treated with short-acting opioids (strong pain medications).

Persistent pain lasts 12 or more hours every day for more than three months. It is usually treated with medicine that you take at specific times every day so that you get pain relief throughout the day. Moderate-to-severe pain may be treated with opioids.

• Breakthrough Pain comes on quickly or “breaks through” the medicine you are taking to relieve your persistent pain. It can occur many times during the day. This type of pain can be treated with specific medicines used as you need them to get quick pain relief.

• Pain Flares are short-term increases in one’s usual level of pain. This pain suddenly erupts or emerges with or without an aggravating event or activity.

How to Best Communicate With Your Healthcare Team

You and the members of your health care team are partners in managing your pain. Here are some tips to help your partnership work well:

• Be prepared and organized.

• Write down your questions and take notes. List your most important questions and concerns first. Bring this list to your physician’s office and take notes as each is answered. Consider bringing a trusted family member or good friend with you to take notes. The stress of a medical visit sometimes makes it easy to miss important information.

• Be honest and open. Don’t hold back. Remember: You have the information your medical team needs to be able to relieve your pain. You have no reason to be embarrassed or afraid to talk to your medical team. They will take the time to listen to your concerns. If you have a personal or family history of addictive disease or mental illness, tell your health care provider so that he or she can tailor a pain management plan that is right for you.

• Make sure you understand all instructions and explanations. If something isn’t clear, ask your health care provider to explain it again in a different way until you’re sure you understand. Before you leave, repeat what you heard back to the person who gave you the instructions. This is a final check to make sure you understand all the details and that your notes are accurate.

• Follow the agreed treatment plan. Don’t make changes without checking with your health care provider. If the plan isn’t working well, call the office or clinic as soon as possible and explain the problem.

• Know the difference between tolerance, physical dependence and addiction.

  Tolerance refers to the situation in which a drug becomes less effective over time.

  Physical Dependence means that a person will develop symptoms and signs of withdrawal (e.g., sweating, rapid heart rate, nausea, diarrhea, goose bumps, anxiety) if the drug is suddenly stopped or the dose is lowered to quickly.

  Addiction refers to a condition when a person has lost control over use of the drug and continues to use it even when the drug is doing them or others harm. People who are addicted engage in unacceptable behaviors like obtaining pain medications from non-medical sources or altering oral formulations of opioids.

  Unless you have a past or current history of substance abuse, the chance of addiction is very low when these medications are prescribed by a physician and taken as directed. Ask your physician what you should watch for when taking opioids.