About this topic
Pain can be an unpleasant feeling that happens in any part of the body. It can be mild or very bad. You may feel this pain always or it may just come and go. It may be dull, sharp, or throbbing. Pain can last for a long time or a short time. Pain can cause upset stomach and throwing up. When you are in pain you may not feel hungry. You may feel nervous. ‚
Pain can be acute or chronic. Acute pain tells you there may be an injury and you need to take care of yourself. Chronic pain lasts for a long period of time. Treatment for pain will depend on the kind of pain and how much it hurts. ‚
View OriginalView Original
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Take your drugs as ordered.
- Ice and heat may be used to ease pain and help with swelling from muscle pain.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Use for the first 24 to 48 hours after an injury or workout.
- Heat may be used after the first 24 to 48 hours, but not right away. Do not use heat with sharp pain or after an acute injury. Heat can make swelling worse. If your doctor tells you to use heat, put a heating pad on your painful part for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Never go to sleep with a heating pad on as this can cause burns.
- Try to stay calm. Anxiety and stress may make your pain worse.
- Try using massage, relaxation, breathing exercises, yoga, tai chi, and music therapy.
- Think about other ways to help with pain. Some of them are acupuncture, biofeedback, or meditation. Ask your doctor if these may help manage your pain.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- You may also need to see a:
- Physical therapist to teach you exercises to help you stretch
- Occupational therapist to help you find ways to make you more comfortable doing your regular daily activities
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
Take your drugs as ordered by your doctor. Some of these drugs can be habit forming and may cause side effects. ‚
Will physical activity be limited?
Physical activities may be limited due to the pain that you have. ‚
What changes to diet are needed?
Changes in food or diet may depend on what kind of pain you have. Talk with your doctor about what kind of food is good for you. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Not able to function well
- Irritation, sadness, anxiety, and low mood
- Sexual dysfunction
- Loss of appetite
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- The best thing you can do is talk to your doctor about any pain you have. Your doctor can help you make a plan to lower your pain.
- Some causes of pain get better by staying active and working out. Your doctor may send you to a physical therapist to help you work on strength exercises and stretching.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, very bad sore throat, ear or sinus pain, pain or blood with passing urine.
- Very bad upset stomach, throwing up, or belly pain; not able to eat or drink anything
- Back or side pain that lasts and you dont know why. (You have not done any hard exercises or other activity that may have pulled a muscle.)
- Not able to move or do daily actions
- Very bad pain that is not helped by drugs
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my pain.
- I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
- I can tell you what I will do if my pain is not helped by my drugs.
Where can I learn more?
Journal of the American Medical Association ‚
http://www.jama.ama-assn.org/content/299/1/128.full.pdf/ ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚