Post-Surgical Pain
Post-surgical pain is the pain that follows a surgical procedure. It is a natural response to the “trauma” of surgery. Post-surgical pain can be felt after any surgical procedure no matter how minor or major the operation.
Every patient experiences pain differently, which is why it is essential for pain management doctors to examine each patient and determine treatment on a case-by-case basis.
Why is post-surgical pain control so important?
Post-surgical pain control is important for the following reasons:
- Post-surgical pain control can help a patient recover faster
- Post-surgical pain control can help prevent complications, including chronic pain
- Post-surgical pain control allows the patient to feel more comfortable
What type of post-surgical pain will I have?
Post-surgical pain may not always be located where you expect it. During surgery tissues and nerve endings are traumatized, which can cause pain in many different areas. Types of post-surgical pain you may experience include:
- Muscle pain
- Throat pain
- Pain when moving
- Bone pain
- Joint pain
- Incisional pain
What are the types of post-surgical pain treatments?
Depending on your needs following surgery, you may receive one or more of the post-surgical pain treatment options listed below:
- Intravenous Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) – The patient pushes a button and self-administers low doses of intravenous narcotic medication via a pump for the relief of pain. Most commonly used for postoperative pain relief.
- Patient-Controlled Epidural Analgesia – An epidural or intrathecal catheter is inserted, and local anesthetic or narcotics are used via a pump to deliver small doses to the spinal nerves. Most commonly used for obstetrical procedures and for postoperative pain in the lower body.
- Nerve block injections – Nerve block injections are used to relieve pain in organs or regions of the body. These nerves are blocked using a nerve block injection of anesthetic or anti-inflammatory medicine to block the pain signal coming from a certain area of the body or to reduce inflammation in that area.
- Pain medications
- Non-Opioid (non-narcotic) Analgesics – relieve mild to moderate pain and are a milder form of a pain killer
- Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID medications) – used to treat inflammation and mild to moderate pain.
- Opioid analgesics – to relieve moderate to severe pain.
For additional information on post-surgical pain, please call 866-228-1108 to request an appointment with one of our Southeast Pain and Spine Care pain management providers or click to Request an Appointment.
