Your medical or nurse practitioner will most likely start you on an intermittent regime of an opioid to take as you need it within certain time parameters. Opioids also have a role in managing severe diarrhoea and cough. They have also been found to be effective in managing shortness of breath and it may be that you are prescribed an opioid for pain and/or shortness of breath management. They come in different formulations such as tablets, patches or a liquid and your prescriber will discuss which one is best for you and your individual pain treatment. Opioids are medicines that are prescribed for strong or severe pain that is no longer responding to medications of lesser strength. It’s important to tell your doctor about all the medicines you are taking, including any over-the-counter, herbal and natural medicines, so you aren’t unintentionally prescribed a medicine that you are already taking or one that interacts with your current medicines. It may be that you have tried things yourself, it is helpful to communicate about whether or not these things have helped you to better direct the pain management plan. Non-pharmacological ways in which to relieve your pain may be explored first such as heat packs, positioning, physiotherapy, alternative therapies etc. Severity – How bad is the pain? (Pain scale 0-10 is often used or Abbey pain scale or Wong-Baker FACES® such as the adaption below)Ĭomparative pain scale chart (pain assessment tool) Non-Pharmacological Pain Management.Exacerbating/relieving factors – Does anything make the pain worse or better.Time course – Does the pain follow any pattern?.Associations – Any other symptoms associated with the pain?.Radiation – Does the pain radiate anywhere?.Character – What is the pain like? Stabbing? Dull? Crushing? Burning? etc.Onset – When did the pain start? Was it sudden or gradual? Is it getting worse or better?.To get a clear picture of your pain, your doctors and nurses will ask the following questions (based on SOCRATES mnemonic acronym often used in pain assessment) Facts about your pain that your health care professional needs to know It is essential that you are open and honest about your pain so it can be assessed and planned for, for you as an individual. Pain management starts with having a conversation with your health care professional, whether that be your GP, your specialist such as an oncologist or respiratory physician, or your palliative care team. MANAGING YOUR PAIN IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF PALLIATIVE CARE Assessment of your pain The conversation Pain is not always constant, it can change over the day and with different activities and can fluctuate with your moods, emotions and family life.Pain can be due to different reasons dependant on the cause and therefore it may take more than one type of analgesia to control it.Most pain can be relieved to a level that allows you to continue to live your life.
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