Patients in Pain: Assessment and Management Techniques for Healthcare Providers

Chronic pain affects around 21% of adults in the nation, as shared by the National Institutes of Health. With a fifth of the population affected, it’s essential to understand how persistent pain impacts patients and how physicians can control it.

Pain may have a significant impact on patient well-being. Chronic pain, in particular, decreases quality of life and causes major disruptions.

A patient in pain also experiences worse clinical and psychological outcomes, which might be mitigated with early intervention and interdisciplinary approaches toward assessing and treating pain.

Healthcare providers with direct patient contact are essential in this process. Thoroughly assessing and managing pain may improve patient satisfaction and recovery.

Understanding Pain

Healthcare providers should be aware of the variance in assessment and treatment across different types of pain. 

Types of Pain

A patient in pain will fall into one of two categories: acute and chronic. The best treatment will depend on the type of pain and the individual characteristics of the patient.

Generally, acute pain involves a sudden onset, limited recovery durations, and a clear cause. Conversely, chronic pain lasts a minimum of three months and may not have a clear cause or may be due to multiple underlying issues. Acute pain often follows an injury or operation, while chronic pain may emerge slowly over time, result from complicated injuries or improper healing, or be the result of autoimmune or neurological issues.

Assessing and treating acute pain aims to decrease suffering and adverse effects while improving functioning. Physicians can accomplish this through pharmacological methods tailored to the severity of the issue.

Managing chronic pain is more difficult as it tends to involve multiple mechanisms, including physiological and psychological.

Pain Assessment Tools

Medical professionals can assess a patient in pain by using a couple of different scales. The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) is a single-question assessment asking patients to rate their pain on a scale from zero to ten, with zero being not noticeable and ten being almost unbearable. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) is similar, but it asks patients to draw a line on a graph to rate their pain against an axis from zero to ten.

It’s critical to regularly assess pain intensity to tailor treatment plans appropriately, which may improve patient comfort and outcomes.

Strategies for Managing Pain

Pain control can take the form of pharmacological or non-pharmacological options. Patients in pain should be included in decisions about treating their symptoms.

Pharmacological Interventions

Non-opioid analgesics for relieving pain include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen, which can treat acute and chronic pain patients. Severe pain may require the use of opioid therapy, a stronger class of pain medicine that carers should use sparingly because of its addictive properties. Adjuvant analgesics are a promising alternative to opioids that have proven efficacy in acute and chronic applications.

Selecting the appropriate pharmacological treatment will depend on patient-specific factors. For instance, physicians should offer patients with a history of addiction alternatives to opioids.

Non-Pharmacological Interventions

Adequate pain control is sometimes possible without pain medication. A patient in pain may also benefit from a multi-pronged approach that combines prescribed medication with alternative methods. Those with musculoskeletal pain may benefit from physical therapy, which is clinically sound and cost effective.

Acupuncture is another alternative technique that may improve cancer pain or musculoskeletal discomfort. Finally, psychological counseling, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy, may also be beneficial in addressing chronic discomfort.

Combining these psychological and physical medicine approaches with pharmacological treatments may improve pain relief and decrease reliance on medications.

Effective Communication With Patients in Pain

Pain management relies on transparent communication and these key considerations:

Building Trust and Rapport

Healthcare providers need to listen empathetically and validate patient experiences to foster trust and openness. Physicians should take the time to engage with their patients personally to establish a rapport. Providing a supportive environment makes it easier for patients to discuss their pain without fear of dismissal.

Educating Patients and Families

Patients should receive education on pain control, and physicians should clearly communicate their treatment options. This is also a good time to set realistic expectations about the recovery process, including the timeline and expected discomfort levels.

A patient’s family can provide emotional support and assist in delivering pain medication to minimize the patient’s burden.

Monitoring and Adjusting Pain Management Plans

Effective management requires constant monitoring and adjustment. Physicians should consider the following:

Regular Reassessment

It’s critical to evaluate pain levels regularly and assess whether a treatment is effective. This allows you to make adjustments as the patient needs them. Using patient feedback and the aforementioned assessment tools to check in regularly makes it easier to modify your approach and treat sudden developments promptly.

Addressing Barriers to Effective Pain Management

Providers must address common barriers to effective treatment, such as reluctance to report pain, which may be due to stoicism or the fear of being a burden, per the Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care. To address this, look for non-verbal indications of discomfort and ask about a patient’s comfort level in honestly discussing their pain.

Patients may also fear medication side effects, which physicians should address by carefully explaining the evidence of a medication’s safety and efficacy. A patient in pain who fears side effects may benefit from alternative therapies that target mild to moderate symptoms.

The Importance of Addressing Pain

Assessing and managing pain effectively appears to improve patient experience and outcomes. Acute and chronic pain patients have different needs and will benefit from different treatment options, though both may benefit from pharmacological or alternative treatments.

Effective patient education and communication are essential to ongoing care for a patient in pain because they allow for timely treatment changes. Physicians can provide patient-centered care using technologies that improve patient engagement and streamline care coordination.

Explore Weave’s communication services to understand how these advancements can help patients suffering from painful conditions. Schedule a demo today to learn how these solutions can benefit your practice.

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