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Chronic Pain: Care Instructions

June 19, 2017 Leave a Comment

Chronic pain is pain that lasts a long time (months or even years) and may or may not have a clear cause. It is different from acute pain, which usually does have a clear cause like an injury or illness and gets better over time. Chronic pain:

Lasts over time but may vary from day to day.
Does not go away despite efforts to end it.
May disrupt your sleep and lead to fatigue.
May cause depression or anxiety.
May make your muscles tense, causing more pain.
Can disrupt your work, hobbies, home life, and relationships with friends and family.

Chronic pain is a very real condition. It is not just in your head. Treatment can help and usually includes several methods used together, such as medicines, physical therapy, exercise, and other treatments. Learning how to relax and changing negative thought patterns can also help you cope.

Chronic pain is complex. Taking an active role in your treatment will help you better manage your pain. Tell your doctor if you have trouble dealing with your pain. You may have to try several things before you find what works best for you.

Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor if you are having problems. It s also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.

How can you care for yourself at home?

Pace yourself. Break up large jobs into smaller tasks. Save harder tasks for days when you have less pain, or go back and forth between hard tasks and easier ones. Take rest breaks.
Relax, and reduce stress. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation can help.
Keep moving. Gentle, daily exercise can help reduce pain over the long run. Try low- or no-impact exercises such as walking, swimming, and stationary biking. Do stretches to stay flexible.
Try heat, cold packs, and massage.
Get enough sleep. Chronic pain can make you tired and drain your energy. Talk with your doctor if you have trouble sleeping because of pain.
Think positive. Your thoughts can affect your pain level. Do things that you enjoy to distract yourself when you have pain instead of focusing on the pain. See a movie, read a book, listen to music, or spend time with a friend.
If you think you are depressed, talk to your doctor about treatment.
Keep a daily pain diary. Record how your moods, thoughts, sleep patterns, activities, and medicine affect your pain. You may find that your pain is worse during or after certain activities or when you are feeling a certain emotion. Having a record of your pain can help you and your doctor find the best ways to treat your pain.
Take pain medicines exactly as directed.
- If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed.
- If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine.

Reducing constipation caused by pain medicine

Include fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains in your diet each day. These foods are high in fiber.
Drink plenty of fluids, enough so that your urine is light yellow or clear like water. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have to limit fluids, talk with your doctor before you increase the amount of fluids you drink.
If your doctor recommends it, get more exercise. Walking is a good choice. Bit by bit, increase the amount you walk every day. Try for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.
Schedule time each day for a bowel movement. A daily routine may help. Take your time and do not strain when having a bowel movement.

When should you call for help?

Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

Your pain gets worse or is out of control.
You feel down or blue, or you do not enjoy things like you once did. You may be depressed, which is common in people with chronic pain. Depression can be treated.
You have vomiting or cramps for more than 2 hours.

Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:

You cannot sleep because of pain.
You are very worried or anxious about your pain.
You have trouble taking your pain medicine.
You have any concerns about your pain medicine.
You have trouble with bowel movements, such as:
- No bowel movement in 3 days.
- Blood in the anal area, in your stool, or on the toilet paper.
- Diarrhea for more than 24 hours.

Care instructions adapted under license by Neuromuscular Spine & Joint Center. This care instruction is for use with your licensed healthcare professional. If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask your healthcare professional. Kopp Medical LLC, DBA Neurmomuscular Spine & Joint Center disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

Pain Medicine Side Effects: Care Instructions

June 19, 2017 Leave a Comment

When you go to a medical facility in pain, you may get a strong medicine to give you relief. The medicine may be given in a vein (by IV) or as an injection (shot). Examples of this type of pain medicine include fentanyl, hydromorphone, and morphine. While these medicines help relieve pain, they also have side effects.

For your safety, it’s important that you know how this strong pain medicine affects you. Common side effects can include:

Nausea or vomiting.
Feeling dizzy or lightheaded.
Feeling sleepy.

The doctor has checked you carefully, but problems can develop later. If you notice any problems or new symptoms, get medical treatment right away.

Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor if you are having problems. It’s also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.

How can you care for yourself at home?

Activity

Don’t do anything for 24 hours that requires attention to detail. This medicine makes your mind foggy. It takes time for the effects to wear off completely.
Don’t drive a car until you are sure the effects from the medicine are gone.

Medicines

Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.
- If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed.
- If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine.

Diet

You can eat your normal diet, unless your doctor gives you other instructions. If your stomach is upset, try clear liquids and bland, low-fat foods like plain toast or rice.
Drink plenty of fluids (unless your doctor tells you not to).
Don’t drink alcohol for 24 hours.

When should you call for help?

Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:

You have trouble breathing.
You passed out (lost consciousness).

Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

You have new or worse pain.

Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:

You do not get better as expected.

Pain Medicine: Care Instructions

June 19, 2017 Leave a Comment

Pain can keep you from doing the things you want to do. Medicine may help you feel better. There are many kinds of pain medicine. One type you can buy over the counter is acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Other medicines help both pain and swelling. These are called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve). All of these drugs can cause side effects. Take them just as the package label tells you to. The most common side effects are stomach upset, heartburn, and nausea. Taking these drugs with food may help.

If you take NSAIDs often, you could get stomach ulcers or kidney problems. This can also happen if you take them for a long time. NSAIDs rarely cause a bad allergic reaction.

Many pain medicines need to be prescribed by a doctor. Some of these drugs, called opiates, can be addicting. Examples are hydrocodone, morphine, fentanyl, and codeine. They often can be used safely if you are under a doctor’s care.

How can you care for yourself at home?

Be safe with medicines. If you take an over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve), read and follow all instructions on the label.
Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20. It has been linked to Reye syndrome, a serious illness.
Be careful when taking over-the-counter cold or flu medicines and Tylenol at the same time. Many of these medicines contain acetaminophen, which is Tylenol. Read the labels to make sure that you are not taking more than the recommended dose. Too much Tylenol can be harmful.
Do not take two or more pain medicines at the same time unless the doctor told you to.
Do not drink alcohol and take pain medicine at the same time.
If your pain pills make you constipated:
- Talk to your doctor about a laxative.
- Drink plenty of fluids, enough so that your urine is light yellow or clear like water. Drink water, fruit juice, or other drinks that do not contain caffeine or alcohol. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have to limit fluids, talk with your doctor before you increase the amount of fluids you drink.
- Take fiber, such as Citrucel or Metamucil, daily if needed. Read and follow all instructions on the label. If you take pain medicine for more than a few days, talk to your doctor before you take fiber.

When should you call for help?

Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

Your pain medicine is not easing your pain.
You have stomach pain, an upset stomach, or heartburn that lasts or comes back.
You can’t sleep because of the pain.

Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:

You do not get better as expected.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Care Instructions

June 12, 2017 Leave a Comment

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a nerve problem. It can cause tingling, numbness, weakness, or pain in the fingers, thumb, and hand. The median nerve and several tough tissues called tendons run through a space in the wrist called the carpal tunnel. The repeated hand motions used in work and some hobbies and sports can put pressure on the nerve. Pregnancy and several conditions, including diabetes, arthritis, and an underactive thyroid, also can cause carpal tunnel syndrome.

You may be able to limit an activity or do it differently to reduce your symptoms. You also can take other steps to feel better. If your symptoms are mild, 1 to 2 weeks of home treatment are likely to ease your pain. Surgery is needed only if other treatments do not work.

How can you care for yourself at home?

If possible, stop or reduce the activity that causes your symptoms. If you cannot stop the activity, take frequent breaks to rest and stretch or change hand positions to do a task. Try switching hands, such as when using a computer mouse.
Try to avoid bending or twisting your wrists.
Ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve). Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.
If your doctor prescribes corticosteroid medicine to help reduce pain and swelling, take it exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor if you think you are having a problem with your medicine.
Put ice or a cold pack on your wrist for 10 to 20 minutes at a time to ease pain. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin.
If your doctor or your physical or occupational therapist tells you to wear a wrist splint, wear it as directed to keep your wrist in a neutral position. This also eases pressure on your median nerve.
Ask your doctor whether you should have physical or occupational therapy to learn how to do tasks differently.
Try a yoga class to stretch your muscles and build strength in your hands and wrists. Yoga has been shown to ease carpal tunnel symptoms.

To prevent carpal tunnel

When working at a computer, keep your hands and wrists in line with your forearms. Hold your elbows close to your sides. Take a break every 10 to 15 minutes.
Try these exercises:
- Warm up: Rotate your wrist up, down, and from side to side. Repeat this 4 times. Stretch your fingers far apart, relax them, then stretch them again. Repeat 4 times. Stretch your thumb by pulling it back gently, holding it, and then releasing it. Repeat 4 times.
- Prayer stretch: Start with your palms together in front of your chest just below your chin. Slowly lower your hands toward your waistline while keeping your hands close to your stomach and your palms together until you feel a mild to moderate stretch under your forearms. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat 4 times.
- Wrist flexor stretch: Hold your arm in front of you with your palm up. Bend your wrist, pointing your hand toward the floor. With your other hand, gently bend your wrist further until you feel a mild to moderate stretch in your forearm. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat 4 times.
- Wrist extensor stretch: Repeat the steps for the wrist flexor stretch, but begin with your extended hand palm down.
Squeeze a rubber exercise ball several times a day to keep your hands and fingers strong.
Avoid holding objects (such as a book) in one position for a long time. When possible, use your whole hand to grasp an object. Using just the thumb and index finger can put stress on the wrist.
Do not smoke. It can make this condition worse by reducing blood flow to the median nerve. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about stop-smoking programs and medicines. These can increase your chances of quitting for good.

When should you call for help?

Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:

Your pain or other problems do not get better with home care.
You want more information about physical or occupational therapy.
You have side effects of your corticosteroid medicine, such as:
- Weight gain.
- Mood changes.
- Trouble sleeping.
- Bruising easily.
You have any other problems with your medicine.

Stopping Smoking: Care Instructions

June 12, 2017 Leave a Comment

Cigarette smokers crave the nicotine in cigarettes. Giving it up is much harder than simply changing a habit. Your body has to stop craving the nicotine. It is hard to quit, but you can do it. There are many tools that people use to quit smoking. You may find that combining tools works best for you.

There are several steps to quitting. First you get ready to quit. Then you get support to help you. After that, you learn new skills and behaviors to become a nonsmoker. For many people, a necessary step is getting and using medicine.

Your doctor will help you set up the plan that best meets your needs. You may want to attend a smoking cessation program to help you quit smoking. When you choose a program, look for one that has proven success. Ask your doctor for ideas. You will greatly increase your chances of success if you take medicine as well as get counseling or join a cessation program.

Some of the changes you feel when you first quit tobacco are uncomfortable. Your body will miss the nicotine at first, and you may feel short-tempered and grumpy. You may have trouble sleeping or concentrating. Medicine can help you deal with these symptoms. You may struggle with changing your smoking habits and rituals. The last step is the tricky one: Be prepared for the smoking urge to continue for a time. This is a lot to deal with, but keep at it. You will feel better.

How can you care for yourself at home?

Ask your family, friends, and coworkers for support. You have a better chance of quitting if you have help and support.
Join a support group, such as Nicotine Anonymous, for people who are trying to quit smoking.
Consider signing up for a smoking cessation program, such as the American Lung Association’s Freedom from Smoking program.
Set a quit date. Pick your date carefully so that it is not right in the middle of a big deadline or stressful time. Once you quit, do not even take a puff. Get rid of all ashtrays and lighters after your last cigarette. Clean your house and your clothes so that they do not smell of smoke.
Learn how to be a nonsmoker. Think about ways you can avoid those things that make you reach for a cigarette.
- Avoid situations that put you at greatest risk for smoking. For some people, it is hard to have a drink with friends without smoking. For others, they might skip a coffee break with coworkers who smoke.
- Change your daily routine. Take a different route to work or eat a meal in a different place.
Cut down on stress. Calm yourself or release tension by doing an activity you enjoy, such as reading a book, taking a hot bath, or gardening.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about nicotine replacement therapy, which replaces the nicotine in your body. You still get nicotine but you do not use tobacco. Nicotine replacement products help you slowly reduce the amount of nicotine you need. These products come in several forms, many of them available over-the-counter:
- Nicotine patches
- Nicotine gum and lozenges
- Nicotine inhaler
Ask your doctor about bupropion (Wellbutrin) or varenicline (Chantix), which are prescription medicines. They do not contain nicotine. They help you by reducing withdrawal symptoms, such as stress and anxiety.
Some people find hypnosis, acupuncture, and massage helpful for ending the smoking habit.
Eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise. Having healthy habits will help your body move past its craving for nicotine.
Be prepared to keep trying. Most people are not successful the first few times they try to quit. Do not get mad at yourself if you smoke again. Make a list of things you learned and think about when you want to try again, such as next week, next month, or next year.