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One of the unavoidable side effects of surgery is that there will be some level of pain experienced by the patient afterward. Depending upon the procedure, along with its intensity and invasiveness, different levels of pain will be experienced by different patients. Physicians discuss what a patient should expect from a pain standpoint with their patients before a procedure. They also discuss what measures will be taken to help reduce, if not eliminate, post-surgical pain. In general, there are two main ways to approach pain after surgery; management using drugs and pain management that does not use drugs. There are some factors about each that every patient should know before surgery.

Necessary information about managing pain with medications

Before surgery, patients should talk to their doctor about pain management. During the pre-operative visit, it helps to ask some specific questions about the type and duration of pain that may occur, in addition to pain management options. Patients should ask the following questions before the day of their surgery:

• How will I receive the drugs?-There are several ways that doctors will provide your body with relief through medications. The most common are:
  • Oral- Drugs administered orally are swallowed. Your medications can either come in pill or liquid form. Most patients will receive an oral medication at some point after surgery.
  • Injection-
    • In many cases, you will receive drugs intravenously after surgery. This method delivers medicine directly into your blood stream. You have probably seen and heard of an IV before and that is what we are talking about here. Sometimes the medicine in the IV will be administered by the doctor and sometimes the patient will have control over dosage. This of course depends on your procedure and level of pain.
    • Another way that patients receive injected medicine is through shots into the skin or a muscle. Shots begin to work quickly so they are often used. A third possibility is an epidural. These are common for back and abdominal surgeries. An epidural is administered through an IV directly into the spine.
• What pain management techniques don’t involve medication?- While medication will almost certainly be prescribed by your physician, there are other ways to manage pain including the following:
  • Massages- Massage is a good way to treat tense muscles and help your whole body relax. Massages can be administered at the hospital or at approved locations after you are discharged.
  • Cold or Hot Packs- Sometimes the presence of varying temperatures can relieve pain in aching parts of the body. Doctors and nurses will be able to place temperature packs in the right locations of the body to help with pain.
  • Elevation- If your arm or leg was operated on, it usually helps to raise the limb above the level of your heart. This changes blood flow patterns and is helpful in reducing pain.
  • Moderate Exercise- How much patients are allowed to move after surgery is at the discretion of medical professionals. In some instance basic movement will help relieve pain over time. The body needs exercise so if a doctor recommends moderate exercise after surgery it is important to listen.

Surgery becomes a necessary form of treatment for patients on a daily basis. In the end, surgery is often the best way to relieve a patient of a harmful condition. Learning as much as is possible about a surgery is the best way to prepare mentally for the procedure. Learning as much as you can about pain management will help you physically after surgery. If you have any questions about pain management visit us online or call our Consult-A-Nurse® program at 1-866-442-2362 for more information.