MANAGE SYMPTOMS
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PAIN Your Care Team is skilled at evaluating pain and treating pain. You will hear them ask the patient about pain very often. We want the patient to be as comfortable as possible. Controlling pain can help im - prove quality of life for the patient and ease the caregiving burden. Four Seasons values life and does not use pain medications or any other treatment to shorten life. Only the person having pain can de - scribe what it is like. Here are descriptions of physical pain: • Mild, moderate, or severe: Your Care Team will often ask the patient for a “score” to rate the pain. ‘0’ means no pain, and ‘10’ is the worst pain. The patient is the only one who can give an accurate number to their pain. • Sharp, dull, aching, stabbing, throbbing, hot, burning, needles, gnawing, cramping, etc. For people who may have a hard time describing their pain, such as children or patients with dementia, you may see changes in their actions if they are in pain, such as: • Comes on very fast, or slowly builds up. • Constant, or comes and goes. • Worse with activity, or increases if staying still. • Occurs any place in the body, or in many places in the body.
• Acting cranky, grouchy, or irritable • Wanting to be left alone, or covering up like they are trying to sleep
• Fidgeting, restless movements, pacing • Crying, moaning, or frowning • Curling up, rocking back and forth, or holding onto a part of their body
How to help: • Watch for the above signs and ask the patient if they are uncomfortable. • Give medications as ordered by the medical provider. Your nurse will explain when and how much to use pain medications. • It is important to give pain medications before the pain becomes severe. It takes much less time and medi - cine to get mild or moderate pain under control than for severe pain. • Pain medications may be “long-acting” or “short-acting.” • Long-acting types are ordered to take on a regular schedule with the goal of preventing pain. • Short-acting medications are often ordered when the pain begins to increase. • Your nurse will clearly explain what types and how to use the pain medications ordered. • Change the patient’s position in their chair or bed. • Ask the patient if something warm or cool over the painful area sounds comforting. • Turn on soothing music or quiet the room depending on the patient’s preferences. • Dim lights. • Your Care Team will be able to offer other suggestions, like massage, relaxation exercises, or music therapy to reduce pain.
Common side effects from pain medications: • Dry mouth • Drowsiness • Upset stomach or nausea • Constipation • Temporary confusion
Most side effects from pain medications do not last very long. Many side effects get better or go away with simple actions. Your nurse will help you learn what you might expect and what to do about any side effects until they go away.
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Four Seasons
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