Pain Management

Pain Management

• Pain is a complex, multidimensional experience that can cause suffering and decreased quality of life 
• One major reason people seek health care

Definition of Pain

• “Whatever the person experiencing pain says it is, existing whenever the person says it does.” Margo McCaffery
• “Unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage.” IASP

Magnitude of Pain problem

• 25 million people experience acute pain from injury or surgery 
• Chronic pain affects over a million American adults
• 60% of cancer patients experience pain during treatment
• Despite the prevalence of pain, many studies document inadequate pain management across care settings and patient populations
• Consequences of untreated pain
  • Unnecessary suffering
  • Physical and psychosocial dysfunction 
  • Immunosuppression 
  • Sleep disturbances

Description of Pain

• Subjective: Patient’s experience and self-report are essential
  • Can be problematic when dealing with special populations (coma or dementia)
• Nonverbal information such as behaviors aids the assessment of pain

Dimensions of Pain

• Biopsychosocial Model of Pain
  • Physiologic
  • Affective
  • Cognitive
  • Behavioral
  • Sociocultural