Managing Pain

During surgery, your anesthetic will be administered by an anesthesiologist (a doctor who specializes in anesthesia) and a nurse anesthetist. Depending on the procedure, you may receive general anesthesia, which makes you unconscious, or a regional or local anesthesia.

With your help, we will try to make your recovery from surgery as comfortable as possible. That’s why it’s important to tell us when you have pain.

Pain relief plays a big role in your recovery. Less pain means less stress on your body and mind. When you’re relaxed, blood flows more easily and healing is faster. You’ll benefit most if you know what to expect, tell others what you need, and accept pain control options.

• All pain is real. You’re the best judge of how much pain you are feeling.
• If you are having pain, it is important to take pain medicine as often as you need it .
• Pain medicine does not work the same for everyone. If the pain medicine prescribed for you is not effective, please tell your nurse, who will ask the doctor about other options.
• Pain medicine helps reduce your pain. It does not take away all pain.

Communicating Your Pain Relief Needs
After surgery you will be asked to use a pain scale to help describe how you’re feeling. By rating your pain from 1 (no pain) to 10 (unbearable pain), your caregivers will be able to tell how well your pain medicine is working.