Pain Management for Stage 4 IBC

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Ask your physician for a referral to a pain management doctor.

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  Step 2
  Check to see if any hospitals in your area have a pain management treatment center.
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  Step 3
  Contact the physical therapy department at a hospital and ask for a referral to a pain management doctor or a pain management clinic.
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  Step 4
  Ask a hospital to put you in touch with the anesthesiology department so that you can inquire if any of the anesthesiologists practice pain management. You can also call the American Society of Anesthesiologists at (847) 825-5586 and ask for a list of anesthesiologists in your area.
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  Step 5
  Call your health insurance company and ask for a list of pain management doctors in your area that are covered under your policy.
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  Pain is now considered the "fifth vital sign" for all patients. In other words pain is as important as your temprature, blood pressure, and the other standard parameters routinely checked in a medical office or hospital. However, many clinicans still lack pain manamgent skills, knowlegde, and savvy. This article will help empower you to understand pain, your RIGHT to treatment, and how to get the best relief possible for your condition.
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  Step 1
  
  Let the nurse or doctor know that you are in pain. Describe when the pain started, rate the intensity of the pain (1- pain free to 10- severe pain). Inform the clinician about the nature of your pain; is it constant? throbbing? stabbing? caused by certain activities? reduced by certain activities. Finally, sincerely express how the pain is impacting your life at home, socially and at work. Do not be afraid to speak up but be clear, honest, precise, and level headed about your concerns.
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  Step 2
  Be certain the clinician examines your pain. Most of what patients tell clinicians is the underpinning of the exam. However, make sure you get any necessary testing done such as x-ray, CAT scan, physical examination of the painful area(s).
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  Step 3
  Ask the doctor or nurse to explain you pain treatment options. Pain is generally rated by it's severity and impact on life. Many organizations such as the World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, and the American Association of Pain Management have developed clinical guidelines and EVIDENCE BASED recommendations for the treatment of your pain. Simply put treating pain is based on science, research and clinical studies. It is not a matter of "throwing darts at a problem and seeing what works." Pain management is good medical practice.
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  Step 4
  Ask about the different types of pain control available to you. You may require "around-the-clock" (ATC) pain medication for long term or chronic conditions such a back pain, cancer pain, or pain from any other chronic disease (HIV/AIDS, osteoporosis, etc.)
  
  Your pain may only need intermittent as necessary pain treatment which is refereed to as PRN (translation: as needed) pain control. Some examples of conditions that might fit under the PRN label are a broken arm, twisted ankle, migraine headache and such.
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  Step 5
  Inquire about the medication side effects such as drowsiness, constipation or the inability to drive or work. Never drink alcohol while on any pain management program.
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  Step 6
  Have the clinician review the "pain contract" with you. A pain contract, used especially for long term pain management that require narcotics, clearly spells out the clinician' s expectations of how you will treat your pain with their guidance, your responsibilities to take control of your pain medications, and what to do if the pain management is not working. Most clinics will make certain you sign a copy of their pain contract and provide you a copy of it for your records.
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  Step 7
  Pain should be assessed frequently by your health care provider. It is important to remember that YOUR report of pain is critical to their assessment.
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  Step 8
  Pain management is a right and a component of good clinical medicine. It is not a "luxury" or something that is "nice to do." Also, if your pain is well controlled you will heal faster, feel better, and be able to participate in your own care and gat back to your usual daily activities.

This is more like the "new" standard care for stage 4 IBC as a result of the current political environment.  I think your mom deserves a lot better.  Doctors nowadays are increasingly hesitant to prescribe more powerful narcotics even to terminally ill patients with severe pain for fear that they may be prosecuted for peddling drugs.  In fact, a number of doctors have actually gone to jail for doing so.  High profile cases in which celebrities have actually died from pain medication overdose certainly did not help the situation.

A few of the more progressive hospitals are now offering acupuncture, massage therapy, music therapy, and yoga as alternative means for pain management.

Duke Integrative Medicine is one such example.  Please also visit the Pain News page at http://www.best4health.net for more information.

Hello I Am Just Curious: Believe it or not, the Doc is probably worried about addiction.! I suggest you add a Board Certified Pain Management Dr.  Dr Ron Grassi.Jupiter,Florida. 

I combine pain management with natural meds the one I use the most is right in every Dr's PDR its Immunocal, Im blogging about it because of how much it has helped not only pain but keeping my liver functioning top form and clean from all the meds.

http://1momsjourney2wellness.blogspot.com/