Pain Relief Preoperatively and Postoperatively
Everyone experiences pain differently, and you have the right to have your pain evaluated and managed. If you have questions, problems, or concerns about pain that you may feel before surgery (preoperatively) or after surgery (postoperatively), tell your health care provider. Severe pain after surgery—and the fear or worry associated with that pain—may cause extreme discomfort that:
• Prevents sleep.
• Decreases the ability to breathe deeply and to cough. This can result in pneumonia or upper airway infections.
• Causes the heart to beat more quickly and the blood pressure to be higher.
• Increases the risk for constipation and bloating.
• Decreases the ability of wounds to heal. …show more content…
This is very important. If you become constipated after taking pain medicine, drink more fluids or take a laxative as told by your health care provider.
PAIN CONTROL METHODS
Your health care provider follows guidelines about the management of your pain. These guidelines should be explained to you before your procedure. Work with your health care provider to plan for your postoperative pain relief. Make sure that you fully understand and agree with this plan. You should not hesitate to ask questions about the care that you are receiving.
Your health care provider may use more than one method at the same time to help relieve your pain (multimodal analgesia). Using this approach has many benefits for you, which may include being able to eat, move around, and possibly leave the hospital sooner.
Opioids
• Opioids are substances that relieve pain by binding to pain receptors in the brain and spinal cord (narcotic pain medicines). Opioids may help relieve short-term (acute) postoperative pain that is moderate to moderately …show more content…
If you follow your health care provider's instructions about taking opioids and you do not have a history of substance abuse, your risk of becoming addicted to opioids is low.
As-Needed Pain Control
• You can receive pain medicine when you need it through an IV tube inserted into one of your veins, or through other forms, such as a pill or liquid that you can swallow. When you tell your health care provider that you are having pain, he or she will give you the proper pain medicine.
IV Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) Pump
• You can receive pain medicine through an IV tube that is connected to a PCA pump. The PCA pump gives you a specific amount of medicine when you push a button. This lets you control how much medicine you receive. The pump is set up so that you cannot accidentally give yourself too much medicine.
○ This button should be pushed only by you or by someone who is specifically assigned by you to do so.
○ You will be able to start using your PCA pump in the recovery room after your procedure.
• Tell your health care provider:
○ If you are having too much
Everyone experiences pain differently, and you have the right to have your pain evaluated and managed. If you have questions, problems, or concerns about pain that you may feel before surgery (preoperatively) or after surgery (postoperatively), tell your health care provider. Severe pain after surgery—and the fear or worry associated with that pain—may cause extreme discomfort that:
• Prevents sleep.
• Decreases the ability to breathe deeply and to cough. This can result in pneumonia or upper airway infections.
• Causes the heart to beat more quickly and the blood pressure to be higher.
• Increases the risk for constipation and bloating.
• Decreases the ability of wounds to heal. …show more content…
This is very important. If you become constipated after taking pain medicine, drink more fluids or take a laxative as told by your health care provider.
PAIN CONTROL METHODS
Your health care provider follows guidelines about the management of your pain. These guidelines should be explained to you before your procedure. Work with your health care provider to plan for your postoperative pain relief. Make sure that you fully understand and agree with this plan. You should not hesitate to ask questions about the care that you are receiving.
Your health care provider may use more than one method at the same time to help relieve your pain (multimodal analgesia). Using this approach has many benefits for you, which may include being able to eat, move around, and possibly leave the hospital sooner.
Opioids
• Opioids are substances that relieve pain by binding to pain receptors in the brain and spinal cord (narcotic pain medicines). Opioids may help relieve short-term (acute) postoperative pain that is moderate to moderately …show more content…
If you follow your health care provider's instructions about taking opioids and you do not have a history of substance abuse, your risk of becoming addicted to opioids is low.
As-Needed Pain Control
• You can receive pain medicine when you need it through an IV tube inserted into one of your veins, or through other forms, such as a pill or liquid that you can swallow. When you tell your health care provider that you are having pain, he or she will give you the proper pain medicine.
IV Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) Pump
• You can receive pain medicine through an IV tube that is connected to a PCA pump. The PCA pump gives you a specific amount of medicine when you push a button. This lets you control how much medicine you receive. The pump is set up so that you cannot accidentally give yourself too much medicine.
○ This button should be pushed only by you or by someone who is specifically assigned by you to do so.
○ You will be able to start using your PCA pump in the recovery room after your procedure.
• Tell your health care provider:
○ If you are having too much