Pain Management

Preventing and controlling pain are important to your care. There are many interventions available to manage pain. Pain medications are the most effective in managing acute pain. Some people are afraid of using pain medications because of the risk of addiction and side effects. Side effects can be managed effectively with medication. The risk of addiction when using pain medications to control acute pain is extremely low. Your responsibility in achieving good pain control is to tell your nurse when you are experiencing pain or when your pain changes. Our goal is to keep pain at a level that allows you to recover and return home. Your nurse works with you to promote your recovery – deciding with you when you get out of bed, ambulate, eat and go to the bathroom. When you are ready you can return to the comforts of your own home.

The Stone Center of New Jersey is a healthcare facility dedicated to promoting and providing optimal care to patients with pain. Our philosophy is to improve the quality of care for patients who are in pain through patient education and professional collaboration. Pain can be a common part of your experience; unrelieved pain has adverse physical and psychological effects. Your right to pain management is respected and supported. The Stone Center plans, supports, and coordinates activities and resources to assure that the pain of all patients is recognized and addressed appropriately. This includes:

• Initial assessment and regular reassessment of pain
• Education of staff in pain assessment and management
• Education of patients and families when appropriate regarding their roles in managing pain
• Incorporation of personal, cultural, spiritual and/or ethnic beliefs in pain management
• Communication to patients and families that pain management is an important part of the patient’s care

Medication

Pain medication is available to relieve your pain. Your physician may prescribe it for you. Please talk to your nurse and Physician to determine your need for pain medication.

Music Therapy

Music is a way to relieve physical and emotional stress. Studies show that a patient’s respiratory rate and anxiety level decrease and decrease pain intensity when they listen to music. You can bring your own music for your listening or it can be provided to you while at The Stone Center. While the body-mind connection is becoming more accepted in conventional medicine, not everyone knows or understands the healing qualities of relaxation techniques and music therapy. These can be alternative modalities that promote self-care and require minimal assistance from staff. Please ask your nurse if you are interested in using these techniques. These techniques may be used in conjunction with pain medication.

Massage Therapy

Massage is the manipulation of muscle and soft tissue usually by hand or mechanically to improve circulation, relax muscles, reduce stress, promote comfort and enhance sleep. A massage that lasts from 5 to 20 minutes has a beneficial effect on anxiety, tension and reducing pain.

Deep breathing exercises can help relax you. These exercises may work along with your medication to lessen or relieve your pain:

1. Breathe in slowly and deeply.
2. As you breathe out slowly, feel yourself beginning to relax; feel tension leaving your body.
3. Now breathe in and out slowly and regularly, at whatever rate is comfortable for you.
4. To help you focus on your breathing, breathe slowly and rhythmically:

• • Breathe in as you say silently to yourself, “in, two, three.”
  • Breathe out as you say silently to yourself, “out, two three,” or each time you breathe out say silently to yourself a word such as “peace” or “relax.”

2. Do steps 1 through 4 only once or repeat steps 3 and 4 for up to 20 minutes.
3. End with a slow deep breath. As you breathe out say to yourself “feel alert and relaxed.”

If you are in pain, you have the right to proper pain assessment, treatment and management. Please talk to your nurse or physician about it. Here’s why:

• No one should have to live with pain
• There are medications that really work
• The physician or nurse can’t help you unless you tell them about your pain

You will be asked to rate your pain on a scale of zero to ten (0-10). Zero (0) meaning no pain and ten (10) meaning severe pain. Use the charts below to help you describe your pain. Your nurse will review the chart below with you and ask you to rate your pain through out the procedure and during your post procedure phone call.

Choose a number from 0 to 10 that best describes your pain

None – Mild – Discomforting – Moderate – Distressing – Severe