Pain

DO YOU HAVE PAIN?

Because pain may be a sign of a problem, it is important to let your medical team know about your pain. Patents should never worry that they are “being a bother.” Actually, your doctors and nurses want and need to know about your level of pain.

To help you describe your pain here are some questons that your doctor or nurse may ask:

• When did the pain begin? • Where do you feel the pain? • How the pain feels e.g. sharp, dull, throbbing, burning, tngling? • Is the pain constant or does it come and go? • What, if anything, makes it beter? • What, if anything, makes it worse? • If you are on medicine for the pain – does it help and if so for how long? Pain charts like the one below may help you to tell your doctor or nurse how bad the pain is.