what can i take with hydrocodone to relieve surgical pain

Why is hurting control after surgery so important?

Pain command following surgery is a priority for both you and your doctors. While yous should wait to have some pain after your surgery, your physician will make every effort to safely reduce it.

In addition to keeping you comfortable, pain control can help speed your recovery and may reduce your gamble of developing certain complications later on surgery, such as pneumonia and blood clots. If your pain is well controlled, you lot volition be better able to consummate important tasks, such as walking and deep breathing exercises.

The following information should assistance yous empathise your options for pain direction. It will describe how you lot tin can help your doctors and nurses command your pain and empower you to have an agile role in making choices about pain treatment.

Be sure to tell your medico if you are taking pain medication at home on a regular ground and if you are allergic to or cannot tolerate sure hurting medications.

What kinds of pain will I experience afterward surgery?

Y'all may be surprised where you feel hurting afterward surgery. The site of surgery is often not the only area of discomfort. You may or may not feel the following:

• Muscle pain: You lot may feel muscle pain in the cervix, shoulders, back or chest from lying on the operating table.
• Throat pain: Your pharynx may feel sore or scratchy.
• Motion hurting: Sitting upwardly, walking, and coughing are all important activities after surgery, but they may cause increased pain at or effectually the incision site.

What tin can I do to assist keep my pain nether control?

Of import! Your doctors and nurses want and need to know about pain that is non well controlled. If you are having pain, please tell someone! Don't worry about existence a "bother."

Yous tin assist the doctors and nurses "measure" your hurting. While yous are recovering, your doctors and nurses will frequently inquire you to rate your hurting on a calibration of 0 to 10, with "0" being "no pain" and "10" beingness "the worst pain you can imagine." Reporting your hurting every bit a number helps the doctors and nurses know how well your treatment is working and whether to make whatsoever changes. Keep in heed that your comfort level (your ability to breathe securely or cough) is more important than accented numbers (your pain score).

Who is going to help manage my pain?

You and your surgeon will determine what blazon of pain command would be nigh acceptable for you lot after surgery. Your surgeon may choose to consult a pain specialist help manage your hurting following surgery. Pain specialists are specifically trained in the types of pain control options that follow.

You are the one who ultimately decides which pain control option is most acceptable. The director of your postal service-surgical pain will review your medical and surgical history and cheque the results from your laboratory tests and concrete exam. They can and so advise y'all nearly which pain management pick may be best suited to safely minimize your discomfort.

After surgery, you will be assessed frequently to ensure that you are comfortable and safe. When necessary, adjustments or changes to your hurting management regimen will be made.

What are the types of pain-control treatments?

You may receive more than than one blazon of hurting handling, depending on your needs and the blazon of surgery you are having. All of these treatments are relatively safe, but like any therapy, they are not completely free of run a risk. Unsafe side effects are rare. Nausea, vomiting, itching, and drowsiness can occur. These side effects tin exist troubling but are normally easily treated in most cases.

Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA)

Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is a computerized pump that safely permits you to button a button and deliver small amounts of pain medicine into your intravenous (IV) line, ordinarily in your arm. No needles are injected into your muscle. PCA provides stable hurting relief in most situations. Many patients like the sense of command they have over their pain management.

The PCA pump is programmed to give a sure corporeality of medication when you press the push. It volition only allow y'all to have and then much medication, no affair how often you lot press the push button, then in that location is little worry that you will give yourself too much.

Never allow family members or friends to push your PCA pump button for you. This removes the patient control aspect of treatment, which is a major safety feature. You lot need to be awake enough to know that you demand pain medication.

Patient-controlled epidural analgesia

Many people are familiar with epidural anesthesia considering it is oftentimes used to command pain during childbirth. Patient-controlled epidural analgesia uses a PCA pump to deliver pain-command medicine into an epidural catheter (a very thin plastic tube) that is placed into your back.

Placing the epidural catheter (to which the PCA pump is attached) usually causes no more than discomfort than having an IV started. A sedating medication, given through your IV, will help you relax. The skin of your dorsum will be cleaned with a sterile solution and numbed with a local anesthetic. Next, a thin needle volition be carefully inserted into an area called the "epidural infinite." A thin catheter will exist inserted through this needle into the epidural space, and the needle will then be removed. During and after your surgery, pain medications will be infused through this epidural catheter with the goal of providing you with first-class pain control when you awaken. If additional pain medication is required, you lot tin can press the PCA button.

Epidural analgesia is usually more effective in relieving pain than intravenous medication. Patients who receive epidural analgesia typically take less pain when they take deep breaths, cough, and walk, and they may recover more rapidly. For patients with medical problems such equally centre or lung illness, epidural analgesia may reduce the run a risk of serious complications such as heart attack and pneumonia.

Epidural analgesia is safe, just like any process or therapy, it'due south not chance costless. Sometimes the epidural doesn't adequately control pain. In this instance yous'll exist given alternative treatments or be offered replacement of the epidural. Nausea, vomiting, itching and drowsiness tin can occur. Occasionally you may experience numbness and weakness of the legs which disappears subsequently the medication is reduced or stopped. Headache can occur, but this is rare. Severe complications, such as nerve harm and infection, are extremely rare.

Nerve blocks

You may exist offered a nerve block to control your pain later surgery. Different an epidural, which controls pain over a broad surface area of your body, a nervus cake controls pain isolated to a smaller expanse of your trunk, such as an arm or leg. Sometimes a catheter similar to an epidural catheter is placed for prolonged pain command. Ane advantage of using a nerve block is that it may permit the amount of opioid (narcotic) medication to be significantly reduced. This may result in fewer side furnishings, such as nausea, airsickness, itching, and drowsiness.

In some cases, a nerve cake can be used as the main coldhearted for your surgery. In this case, you volition be given medications during your surgery to go along you sleepy, relaxed, and comfy. This blazon of anesthesia provides the added benefit of pain relief both during and afterwards your surgery. It may reduce your risk of nausea and vomiting after surgery. Yous, your anesthesiologist, and your surgeon will decide earlier surgery if a nerve cake is a suitable pain direction or coldhearted selection for you.

Pain medications taken past oral cavity

At some signal during your recovery from surgery, your doctor will gild hurting medications to be taken past oral fissure (oral pain medications). These may be ordered to come at a specified fourth dimension, or you lot may demand to inquire your nurse to bring them to you. Brand sure you know if you need to ask for the medication! Nigh oral pain medications tin can be taken every four hours.

Important! Do non await until your pain is severe before you lot ask for pain medications. Also, if the hurting medication has not significantly helped inside xxx minutes, notify your nurse. Extra pain medication is bachelor for you to take. You exercise non take to wait 4 hours to receive more medication.

What are some of the risks and benefits associated with pain medication?

Opioids (narcotics) after surgery: medications such as morphine, fentanyl, hydromorphone

• Benefits: Strong pain relievers. Many options are available if one is causing meaning side effects.
• Risks: May cause nausea, vomiting, itching, drowsiness, and/or constipation. Although these drugs carry a gamble of abuse and habit, the take chances is manageable if the medications are used properly, for the right reasons, and for a brusk period of time.

Opioids (narcotics) at home (Percocet®, Vicodin® and others)

• Benefits: Effective for moderate to severe hurting. Many options available.
• Risks: Nausea, vomiting, itching, drowsiness, and/or constipation. Breadbasket upset tin can be lessened if the drug is taken with food. You should not drive or operate machinery while taking these medications. Notation: These medications often contain acetaminophen (Tylenol®). Make certain that other medications that you are taking practise non contain acetaminophen. Besides much acetaminophen can damage your liver.

Non-opioid (non-narcotic) analgesics (Tylenol® and other not-NSAIDS)

• Benefits: Constructive for mild to moderate pain. They have very few side effects and are safe for most patients. They oft decrease the amount of stronger medications you need, which may reduce the hazard of side effects.
• Risks: Liver damage may result if more than the recommended daily dose is used. Patients with pre-existing liver disease or those who drinkable significant quantities of alcohol may exist at increased risk.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) ibuprofen (Advil® and Motrin®), naproxen sodium (Aleve®), celecoxib (Celebrex®) and others

• Benefits: These drugs reduce swelling and inflammation and relieve balmy to moderate pain. Ibuprofen and naproxen sodium are available without a prescription, but inquire your doc almost taking them. They may reduce the corporeality of opioid analgesic yous need, possibly reducing side effects such as nausea, airsickness and drowsiness. If taken alone, there are no restrictions on driving or operating machinery.
• Risks: The most mutual side effects of NSAIDs are breadbasket upset and dizziness. You should not take these drugs without your doctor'south approval if you lot have kidney problems, a history of breadbasket ulcers, heart failure or are on "blood thinner" medications such as Coumadin® (warfarin), Lovenox® injections, or Plavix®.

Be certain to tell your doctor about all medications (prescribed and over-the-counter), vitamins, and herbal supplements you are taking. This may affect which drugs are prescribed for your pain control.

Are there ways I tin can relieve pain without medication?

Yes, there are other means to relieve hurting and it is important to proceed an open mind about these techniques. When used along with medication, these techniques can dramatically reduce pain.

Guided imagery is a proven form of focused relaxation that helps create calm, peaceful images in your heed -- a "mental escape."

Relaxation media tin can be purchased at some bookstores or on-line stores, or can be borrowed from your local library. You can bring your relaxation media and listening device to the hospital to play prior to surgery and during your hospital stay.

For the all-time results, practice using the relaxation techniques before your surgery, and so use them twice daily during your recovery. Listening to soft music, changing your position in bed, or tuning in to a hospital relaxation channel are additional methods to relieve or lessen pain. Ask your nurse for channel information.

At home, heat or cold therapy may exist an option to help reduce swelling and control your pain. Your surgical team volition provide specific instructions if these therapies are advisable for you.

If y'all take an abdominal or breast incision, y'all volition want to splint the surface area with a pillow when y'all are coughing or breathing securely to decrease motion nigh your incision. You will exist given a pillow in the hospital. Continue to use it at home too.

Lastly, brand sure you are comfortable with your treatment plan. Talk to your doctor and nurses most your concerns and needs. This will help avoid miscommunication, stress, anxiety, and disappointment, which may make pain worse. Keep asking questions until y'all have satisfactory answers. Yous are the ane who volition do good.

How can I control pain at habitation?

You may be given prescriptions for hurting medication to have at home. These may or may non be the same pain medications you lot took in the infirmary. Talk with your doctor about which hurting medications volition exist prescribed at discharge.

Annotation: Make sure your doctor knows about pain medications that take acquired yous issues in the past. This will forbid possible delays in your belch from the hospital.

Preparation for your discharge

Your doctors may have already given you lot your prescription for pain medication prior to your surgery appointment. If this is the case, it is best to be prepared and have your medication filled and ready for you when you come home from the hospital. Y'all may want to accept your pain pills with you lot on your ride dwelling house if you are traveling a long distance. Check with your insurance company regarding your prescription plan and coverage for your medication. Occasionally, a pain medication prescribed by your doctor is not covered by your insurance company.

If you don't receive your prescription for pain medication until subsequently the surgery, make sure a family member takes your prescription and either gets information technology filled at your hospital's chemist's or presently after your discharge from the hospital. It is of import that y'all ARE PREPARED in case you have pain.

Make certain you wear comfy clothes, and keep your cough and deep animate pillow with you.

You may want to have your relaxation music available for your travels.

If you lot are traveling by airplane, make certain you have your pain pills in your conduct-on luggage in example the airline misplaces your checked luggage.

While at home:

• Remember to take your pain medication before activity and at bedtime. Your doctor may advise yous to take your hurting medication at regular intervals (such equally every four to six hours).
• Exist sure to go enough remainder. If y'all are having trouble sleeping, talk to your md.
• Utilise pillows to support you when you sleep and when you do your coughing and deep breathing exercises.
• Effort using the alternative methods discussed before. Heating pads or common cold therapy, guided imagery tapes, listening to soft music, changing your position in bed and massage can assistance relieve your pain.

Notation: If you need to accept stitches or staples removed and y'all are withal taking pain medications, be sure to take a friend or family fellow member drive you lot to your date. Commonly, you should not bulldoze or operate equipment if you are taking opioid (narcotic)-containing pain medications. Check the label of your prescription for any warnings or enquire your medico, nurse, or pharmacist.

Oftentimes asked questions

I am nervous about getting addicted to pain pills. How do I avert this?

With proper use, the run a risk of condign addicted to pain medication after surgery is small. The bigger run a risk is a possible prolonged recovery if you avoid your pain medications, and cannot effectively do your required activities. If you are concerned about addiction, or have a history of substance abuse (booze or whatsoever drug), talk with your doctors. They volition monitor yous closely during your recovery. If issues arise following surgery, they will consult the advisable specialists.

I'k a small person who is easily affected by medicine. I am nervous that a "normal" dose of pain medication will exist too much for me. What should I do?

During recovery, your healthcare team will detect how you respond to hurting medication and make changes as needed. Be sure to communicate with your doctors any concerns y'all have prior to surgery. The relatively small doses of hurting medication given after surgery are highly unlikely to have an exaggerated consequence based on your body size.

I don't have a high tolerance for pain. I am afraid that the hurting volition be also much for me to handle. What tin can I do?

Concern about pain from surgery is very normal. The most important thing you can do is to talk with your surgeon and anesthesiologist nearly your item situation. Setting hurting command goals with your doctors before surgery will aid them better tailor your pain treatment plan. Treating pain early is easier than treating it later it has set in. If you have had prior experiences with surgery and pain control, let your dr. know what worked or what did not work. Recall, there are usually many options available to yous for hurting control after surgery.

I unremarkably take Tylenol® if I become a headache. Can I withal have Tylenol for a headache if I am on other pain medication?

As discussed before, before taking any other medication, be sure to talk to your doctor. Some of the medications prescribed for utilize at dwelling house contain acetaminophen (Tylenol) and if as well much is taken, y'all may become sick. In society to avoid getting as well much of any medication, talk over this issue with your physician Before you leave the hospital.

How do I play an active role in my pain control?

Enquire your doctors and nurses about:

• Pain and hurting control treatments and what you can expect from them. Yous have a right to the best level of pain relief that can exist safely provided.
• Your schedule for pain medicines in the hospital.
• How you lot can participate in a pain-control plan.

Inform your doctors and nurses about:

• Whatever surgical hurting you have had in the past.
• How you relieved your hurting before y'all came to the hospital.
• Hurting y'all take had recently or currently.
• Pain medications you lot have taken in the past and cannot tolerate.
• Pain medications you accept been taking prior to surgery
• Any pain that is not controlled with your current pain medications.

You should:

• Aid the doctors and nurses "measure" your hurting and expect staff to ask about pain relief often and to reply rapidly when y'all practice written report pain.
• Ask for hurting medicines every bit soon as pain begins.
• Tell us how well your pain is relieved and your pain relief expectations.
• Employ other comfort measures for pain command -- listening to relaxation or soft music, repositioning in bed, etc.

Your doctors are committed to providing you with the safest and about constructive hurting management strategy that is most acceptable to yous.

Remember:

• Hurting is unlike for everyone.
• Hurting may be dull, stabbing, cramping, throbbing, constant, on and off, etc.
• Treating pain early usually brings quicker and better control.
• Healing occurs faster when hurting is under command.
• Pain affects blood pressure, centre rate, appetite and general mood.

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Source: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11307-pain-control-after-surgery

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