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Loice Vavi Health Matters

Definition

Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with or resembling actual or potential damage. 

Types of pain

Accute

Chronic

Neuropathic

Radical

Nociceptive

Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of pain

Pharmacological considers the use of drugs to treat and reduce pain whereas non pharmacological uses other modalities of care without medications.?

Non pharmacological medication of pain

The method utilises ways to alter thoughts and focus concentration to better manage and reduce pain.

Methods include:

Education and psychological conditioning for instance explain fully procedures, treatment and outcome and utilise pictures or diagrams to explain each step of the procedure.

Hypnosis — the psychologist or doctor guides into an altered state of consciousness to help focus or narrow attention to reduce discomfort such as imagery distraction and relaxation.

Comfort therapy involve the following:

Non pharmacological medication of pain

Companionship, exercise, heat or cold application, massage, meditation, positioning, music, drama and pastoral counselling.

Physical and occupational therapy such as aqua therapy, desensitisation 

Neuro stimulation — involve: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation(TENS), acupuncture and acupressure.

Pharmacological treatment 

Chronic pain conditions are treated with a number of different medication classes via several routes, these include: anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxants, anti-epileptic, anti- depressants, opioids and local anaesthetics.?

Merits of non-pharmacological treatment 

It reduce long term adverse effects such as substance use disorder and suicide attempts, low cost and effective.

Demerits

Care giver fatigue, heavy workload, inadequate cooperation of physician and multiple responsibilities of care givers.

Advantage of pharmacology treatment of pain 

Quick relief of pain and improves functioning and quality of life.

Disadvantages 

Tolerance, hyperalgesia, unpleasant GIT and CNS side effects.

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