Managing Your Pain

Deciding How to Manage Your Pain

If you’ve been having a lot of pain, the first thing to do is speak with your doctor. They can help you find the best options to manage it.

You can talk about:

• Your health history
• How your day-to-day activities have been affected
• What you hope to improve about your quality of life
• Your best options for managing pain

Think about these questions when you explain how the pain feels:

• Where does it hurt?
• When did it start? Does it come and go?
• What does it feel like – sharp, dull or burning? Would you use some other word to describe it?
• Do you have other symptoms?
• When do you feel it? Morning or evening? After eating?
• Is there anything you do that makes the pain feel better or worse? For example:
  • Does using a heating pad or ice pack help?
  • Does your position lying down or sitting up make it better?
• Which medicines, including over-the-counter, and non-medicine therapies have you tried, and did they help?

Your doctor could ask you to rate your pain on a scale of 0 to 10.

Know the Two Types of Pain

You might have either of the following types of pain:

• Acute: It comes quickly and has a known cause, like an injury or surgery. It lessens or goes away as your body heals.
• Chronic: It lasts three months or longer and can be caused by:
  • A disease or condition
  • An injury
  • A medical treatment
  • Inflammation
  • An unknown reason

Three Ways to Safely Manage Your Pain

After you’ve spoken to your doctor and know what type of pain you’re having, follow these steps:

1. Work with your doctor to make and follow a plan.
2. Set goals to return to an activity that you couldn’t do because of pain.
3. Choose low-risk pain-relief options.

Know Your Options for Pain Management

Your doctor could prescribe opioids to be used for moderate to severe pain. Codeine, morphine and oxycodone are all examples of opioids.

Keep in mind: The U.S. has seen an epidemic of opioid misuse. If misused, opioids can be habit-forming. They can also put your life in danger when taken with alcohol or other drugs.

There are many options for pain management other than prescription opioids. Some of these options may work just as well or better than opioids. These options include:

• Acetaminophen or ibuprofen (think Tylenol and Advil)
• Topical ointments (like lidocaine)
• Exercise therapy, including physical therapy
• Interventional therapies (injections)
• Exercise aimed at weight loss
• Changing your diet to healthier foods
• Getting enough sleep
• Avoiding alcohol, tobacco and other drugs
• Medicines for depression or for seizures – some antidepressants and anti-seizure medicines have been shown to relieve chronic pain
• Cognitive behavioral therapy – where patients learn how to change physical, behavioral and emotional responses to pain and stress
• Acupuncture and massage

Creating a Plan With Your Doctor

With options in mind for pain management, you and your doctor can move forward with making and following a plan. As you go through the process, remember to:

• Be open to managing pain with the right method for your diagnosis.
• Be informed and know your options.
• Talk to your doctor about the best options for you. Work with a specialist if needed.
• Follow up with your doctor about your pain and whether your plan is working or not.
• Be aware that it can take time to reduce your pain, and results may not come right away.

Remember, Braven Health Care Managers can help you with your needs and care coordination. If you need help, call 1-888-621-5894 and select option 2.