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Overview of Pain Management
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Relevant Clinical Scenarios
Relevent Core Medications
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Introduction
Revision - Essential Pain Management
Acute Pain
Chronic Non-Cancer Pain
Cancer Pain
Important Medication
Safe Opioid Prescribing
Useful Information
Feedback and Contacts
Introduction
Revision - Essential Pain Management
Acute Pain
Chronic Non-Cancer Pain
Cancer Pain
Important Medication
Safe Opioid Prescribing
Useful Information
Feedback and Contacts
Remove Frame
What is pain?
Classification
Physiology/Pathology
Recognise
Assess
Treat
Basic Framework to manage pain "RAT" - Assess
ALWAYS try and work out what the underlying cause of the pain is and treat this cause!!
How severe is the pain?
What is the pain score?
At rest
At night
With movement
Mild, moderate, severe?
Value out of 10?
How is the pain affecting the patient?
Can the patient move, cough?
Can the patient work?
Measuring Pain
Helps guide treatment
Methods
Verbal (e.g.
mild, moderate, severe
)
Numerical - 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable)
Visual - Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), “Faces” pain scale
What type of pain is it?
Acute or chronic?
Cancer or non-cancer?
Nociceptive or neuropathic?
Are there any other factors?
Will help to work out the cause of the pain and guide treatment..
Physical factors (other illnesses)
Other physical illnesses and symptoms/signs
Renal failure
Allergies
Level of consciousness of patient
Whether patient is able to eat and drink
Psychological and social factors
Anger, anxiety, depression
Lack of social supports
«
Recognise
Treat
»
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