Baycrest

Baycrest - End of Life Volunteer Manual 34 MANAGING PAIN Pain is one of the most common and feared symptoms for people at end of life. Palliative Care specializes in pain management. It may take time to find the right pain control measures for each person, but 98% of pain can be relieved. There are now a large variety of treatments for pain which may overlap with each other. These pain- control treatments include both non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches. Possible pharmacotherapies and interventions include the following: • Medications like acetaminophen, anti-inflammatories, and opioids such as morphine • Nerve blocks The physician in consultation with other health professionals on the care team will decide on the most suitable combination of treatments. Treatments can be given in many forms, including liquid, tablets, injections, patches and lollypops. Unfortunately, treatments that relieve pain can lead to other symptoms, such as nausea, fatigue and constipation, so it's important to find the right balance to give the person maximum pain relief and comfort while minimizing negative side effects. The success of a treatment is measured by the person's response and comfort, not by the amount of medication. FACTORS THAT AFFECT PAIN AND PAIN MANAGEMENT Many factors can affect pain and pain management: • Lack of knowledge about painkillers and their use. People can receive inadequate doses of pain medications. • Attitudes towards pain treatments. Many people including many health care professionals worry that taking narcotics to manage pain will lead to an addiction. Many people are also not aware of the range of treatments available now for pain. • Self-image. For some people, the pain of their illness is increased by the emotional impact or effect on their self-image. For example, women with breast cancer may suffer more pain

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