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Chronic Pain: Care Instructions

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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.

Starting a Weight Loss Plan: Care Instructions

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If you are thinking about losing weight, it can be hard to know where to start. Your doctor can help you set up a weight loss plan that best meets your needs. You may want to take a class on nutrition or exercise, or join a weight loss support group. If you have questions about how to make changes to your eating or exercise habits, ask your doctor about seeing a registered dietitian or an exercise specialist.

It can be a big challenge to lose weight. But you do not have to make huge changes at once. Make small changes, and stick with them. When those changes become habit, add a few more changes.

If you do not think you are ready to make changes right now, try to pick a date in the future. Make an appointment to see your doctor to discuss whether the time is right for you to start a plan.

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?

  • Set realistic goals. Many people expect to lose much more weight than is likely. A weight loss of 5% to 10% of your body weight may be enough to improve your health.
  • Get family and friends involved to provide support. Talk to them about why you are trying to lose weight, and ask them to help. They can help by participating in exercise and having meals with you, even if they may be eating something different.
  • Find what works best for you. If you do not have time or do not like to cook, a program that offers meal replacement bars or shakes may be better for you. Or if you like to prepare meals, finding a plan that includes daily menus and recipes may be best.
  • Ask your doctor about other health professionals who can help you achieve your weight loss goals.
    • A dietitian can help you make healthy changes in your diet.
    • An exercise specialist or personal trainer can help you develop a safe and effective exercise program.
    • A counselor or psychiatrist can help you cope with issues such as depression, anxiety, or family problems that can make it hard to focus on weight loss.
  • Consider joining a support group for people who are trying to lose weight. Your doctor can suggest groups in your area.

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.

Safe Use of Opiate Pain Medicine: Care Instructions

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Your Care Instructions

Pain is your body’s way of warning you that something is wrong. Pain feels different for everybody. Only you can describe your pain.

A doctor can suggest or prescribe many types of medicines for pain. These range from nonprescription medicines like acetaminophen (Tylenol) to powerful medicines called opiates.

Opiates work well to relieve pain. But they also can cause problems, especially if they are taken too often or in too large a dose. They can interact with other medicines, or they may make it hard for you to do your job or to think clearly. They can even cause death. For these reasons, doctors are very careful about how they prescribe opiates.

The doctor carefully considered what pain medicine is right for you. You may not have received opiate pain medicine if your doctor was concerned about drug interactions or your safety, or if he or she had other concerns.

It is best to have one doctor or clinic treat your pain. This way you will get the pain medicine that will help you the most, and a doctor will be able to watch for any problems that the medicine might cause.

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?

  • Try other ways to reduce pain:
    • 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. 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 the doctor gave you a prescription medicine, 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.

When should you call for help?

Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

  • You have a new kind of pain.
  • You have new symptoms, such as a fever or rash, along with the pain.

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

  • You think you might be using too much pain medicine, and you need help to use less or stop.
  • Your pain gets worse.
  • You would like a referral to a doctor or clinic that specializes in pain management.

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

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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.

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: Care Instructions

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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.

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?

  • 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.

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.