Health & Wellness
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FAQs on Post-Operative
Pain Control
W
ill I experience pain after my surgery?
Yes, you will. Even with improved and
advanced surgical techniques, people still
feel some pain and discomfort after surgery,
since even minor surgery causes swelling
and the breakup of tissue. However, each
individual has a difference tolerance level
for pain and reacts to pain in different ways.
It is important for you to communicate with your health care team
to better control your post-operative pain. It is important to note
that some patients who undergo surgery under local or regional
anesthesia may not feel pain until the local anesthetic wears off.
What kind of pain will I have?
Different surgical procedures cause different types of pain. The
intensity of your pain can range from mild to severe. It can be a
throbbing, aching, burning, or irritating sensation.
How do I communicate my pain to my health care team?
You will be asked to use a pain scale to help describe your pain
level.
It is a tool that will help measure the severity of your pain, and
will also serve as a guide for your health care team in managing
your pain. If 0 means no pain and 10 is the worst pain possible, how
would you rate how you feel?
To relieve your pain most effectively, your health care team
needs to know how well pain relief measures are working for you.
Medications can be adjusted to meet your needs.
What kind of pain medicine will I receive after surgery?
Your doctor will choose a method of pain management based
on your surgery, your medical history, the amount of pain you are
experiencing, and where you are on the road to recovery. Initially,
to help relieve you of immediate post-op pain, medications may be
given intravenously (IV) or intramuscularly (IM), or if appropriate,
through an epidural catheter (very small tubing threaded into the
outermost section of the spinal canal, femoral canal, popliteal and
sciatic area).
· One popular method is called a Patient Controlled Analgesia
(PCA) pump. This PCA machine will deliver a dose of pain
medication through your intravenous line or epidural catheter
when you press the button. Of course, it is programmed with
safety feature to avoid overdosing. A measured dose of narcotic is
Disclaimer: Fit On Board gives only information that will help you understand ailments and its symptoms. Suggest
preventive measures but not as cures. It is still best suited for you to seek professional advice and consult your doctors…
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