Asking Doctor for Pain Meds Again

You've probably been in pain at one time or another. Possibly you've had a headache or bruise—pain that doesn't terminal too long. But, many older people have ongoing pain from health problems like arthritis, diabetes, shingles, or cancer.

Pain tin can be your torso'south way of alarm you that something is wrong. Always tell the doctor where you lot injure and exactly how information technology feels.

Acute Pain and Chronic Pain

There are ii kinds of pain. Acute hurting begins suddenly, lasts for a short time, and goes abroad every bit your body heals. Yous might experience acute pain afterward surgery or if you take a cleaved bone, infected tooth, or kidney stone.

Pain that lasts for 3 months or longer is called chronic pain. This hurting often affects older people. For some people, chronic pain is acquired by a wellness status such as arthritis. It may besides follow astute pain from an injury, surgery, or other health issue that has been treated, like postal service-herpetic neuralgia after shingles.

Living with whatever type of hurting can be hard. It can crusade many other problems. For instance, pain can:

• Get in the way of your daily activities
• Disturb your sleep and eating habits
• Make it difficult to go on working
• Be related to depression or anxiety
• Proceed y'all from spending time with friends and family

Describing Pain

Many people have a difficult fourth dimension describing pain. Think almost these questions when yous explain how the pain feels:

• Where does it hurt?
• When did the pain start? Does information technology come and go?
• What does it feel like? Is the pain sharp, dull, or burning? Would you apply some other discussion to describe it?
• Exercise y'all take other symptoms?
• When do you experience the pain? In the morn? In the evening? Afterwards eating?
• Is there anything you do that makes the pain feel amend or worse? For case, does using a heating pad or water ice pack assistance? Does changing your position from lying down to sitting upwardly brand information technology improve?
• What medicines, including over-the-counter medications and non-medicine therapies have you lot tried, and what was their effect?

Your dr. or nurse may ask y'all to charge per unit your pain on a calibration of 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 beingness the worst pain y'all can imagine. Or, your doctor may ask if the hurting is balmy, moderate, or severe. Some doctors or nurses take pictures of faces that bear witness different expressions of pain and inquire you to signal to the face that shows how you feel. Your medico may ask you to keep a diary of when and what kind of pain you experience every twenty-four hours.

Attitudes Almost Pain

Anybody reacts to pain differently. Some people feel they should exist dauntless and not mutter when they hurt. Other people are quick to written report pain and enquire for assist.

Worrying nigh pain is mutual. This worry can make you afraid to stay active, and it can split up you lot from your friends and family. Working with your doctor, you can find ways to go along to take office in physical and social activities despite having pain.

Some people put off going to the md because they call up pain is part of aging and nothing tin assistance. This is not true!

Information technology is of import to see a physician if you take a new pain. Finding a way to manage pain is often easier if it is addressed early.

Treating Pain

Treating, or managing, chronic pain is important. Some treatments involve medications, and some do non. Your treatment plan should be specific to your needs.

Most treatment plans focus on both reducing pain and increasing ways to support daily function while living with pain.

Talk with your doctor about how long it may take before you feel better. Often, y'all have to stick with a treatment plan before you lot get relief. Information technology's important to stay on a schedule. Sometimes this is chosen "staying ahead" or "keeping on top" of your pain. Be certain to tell your md about any side effects. Y'all might accept to try different treatments until y'all detect a program that works for you. Every bit your pain lessens, you lot can likely become more active and will see your mood lift and sleep improve.

Medicines to Treat Pain

Your doctor may prescribe one or more of the following pain medications. Talk with your doctor most their safe and the correct dose to take.

• Acetaminophen may assist all types of hurting, especially mild to moderate pain. Acetaminophen is found in over-the-counter and prescription medicines. People who take more than 3 drinks per day or who have liver disease should non accept acetaminophen.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) include aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen. Long-term use of some NSAIDs tin can cause side furnishings, like internal bleeding or kidney bug, which make them dangerous for many older adults. You may not be able to take ibuprofen if you have high claret pressure.
• Narcotics (as well chosen opioids) are used for moderate to astringent hurting and require a doctor's prescription. They may exist addiction-forming. They can besides exist unsafe when taken with alcohol or certain other drugs. Examples of narcotics are codeine, morphine, and oxycodone.
• Other medications are sometimes used to care for pain. These include antidepressants, anticonvulsive medicines, local painkillers like nerve blocks or patches, and ointments and creams.

As people age, they are at risk for developing more side effects from medications. It's important to take exactly the amount of pain medicine your doctor prescribes. Don't chew or vanquish your pills if they are supposed to be swallowed whole. Talk with your doctor or chemist if you're having trouble swallowing your pills.

Mixing whatever hurting medication with alcohol or other drugs tin can exist dangerous. Make certain your md knows all the medicines you take, including over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements, too every bit the amount of alcohol you drinkable.

Remember: If you think the medicine is not working, don't modify information technology on your own. Talk to your doctor or nurse.

What Other Treatments Help with Hurting?

In addition to drugs, at that place are a diversity of complementary and alternative approaches that may provide relief. Talk to your doctor nearly these treatments. Information technology may take both medicine and other treatments to feel better.

• Acupuncture uses hair-thin needles to stimulate specific points on the body to relieve pain.
• Biofeedback helps yous learn to control your heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and other body functions. This may help reduce your pain and stress level.
• Cerebral behavioral therapy is a form of short-term counseling that may aid reduce your reaction to pain.
• Distraction tin aid you cope with acute pain, taking your mind off your discomfort.
• Electrical nervus stimulation uses electric impulses to relieve pain.
• Guided imagery uses directed thoughts to create mental pictures that may help you relax, manage anxiety, sleep ameliorate, and take less hurting.
• Hypnosis uses focused attention to help manage pain.
• Massage therapy can release tension in tight muscles.
• Heed-trunk stress reduction combines mindfulness meditation, body sensation, and yoga to increase relaxation and reduce pain.
• Physical therapy uses a variety of techniques to help manage everyday activities with less pain and teaches you lot ways to better flexibility and strength.

Helping Yourself

In that location are things y'all tin can do yourself that might assistance you feel improve. Attempt to:

• Continue a healthy weight. Putting on actress pounds can slow healing and make some hurting worse. A healthy weight might help with hurting in the knees, back, hips, or anxiety.
• Be physically active. Hurting might brand y'all inactive, which tin pb to more hurting and loss of role. Activity can assist.
• Get enough sleep. It can reduce pain sensitivity, help healing, and improve your mood.
• Avoid tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol. They tin can get in the way of treatment and increment pain.
• Join a pain support group. Sometimes, it can help to talk to other people about how they deal with pain. You can share your thoughts while learning from others.

Cancer Hurting

Some people with cancer are more agape of the pain than of the cancer. But nearly pain from cancer or cancer treatments can exist controlled. Equally with all pain, it's best to beginning managing cancer pain early. Information technology might take a while to detect the best arroyo.

One special business organization in managing cancer pain is "quantum hurting." This is pain that comes on rapidly and tin can have you past surprise. It tin can be very upsetting. Afterward ane attack, many people worry it will happen again. This is another reason to talk with your doctor about having a hurting management plan in place.

Alzheimer's Affliction and Pain

People who have Alzheimer'southward disease may not be able to tell you when they're in pain. When you're caring for someone with Alzheimer'southward, watch for clues. A person'southward face may prove signs of being in pain or feeling sick. You lot may encounter a person frequently changing position or having trouble sleeping. Y'all may also notice sudden changes in behavior such every bit increased agitation, crying, or moaning. Refusing to eat may be a sign that the person has tooth pain or other oral health bug. It'due south important to find out if there is something wrong. If you lot're not certain what to do, call the dr. for help.

Hurting at the Cease of Life

Not everyone who is dying is in pain. But, if a person has pain at the cease of life, there are ways to assist. Experts believe it's best to focus on making the person comfortable, without worrying most possible habit or drug dependence. For more data, read Providing Comfort at the End of Life.

Some Facts Virtually Pain

• Most people don't have to live with pain. There are hurting treatments. While not all pain tin exist cured, most pain can exist managed. If your doctor has not been able to assistance you lot, ask to run across a hurting specialist.
• The side effects from pain medicine are frequently manageable. Side effects from pain medicine like constipation, dry mouth, and drowsiness may exist a trouble when you commencement begin taking the medicine. These problems can often be treated and may go away as your body gets used to the medicine.
• Your doctor will non call up you lot're a sissy if you talk nigh your pain. If you lot're in pain, tell your doctor and so yous can get help.
• If you employ pain medicine now, it will still work when yous demand information technology after. Using medicine at the get-go sign of pain may help control your pain later.
• Pain is not "all in your head." No ane but you lot knows how your pain feels. If you're in pain, talk with your medico.

Read nearly this topic in Castilian. Lea sobre este tema en español.

For More Information About Hurting and Hurting Management

This content is provided by the NIH National Plant on Crumbling (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure it is accurate and up to appointment.

Content reviewed: February 28, 2018

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Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/pain-you-can-get-help

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