Your Anesthesiologist will work closely with your Surgeon to determine the best method for controlling your pain after surgery.
Many outpatient surgeries only require a few days or less of oral pain medicines which may be prescribed by your Surgeon. Other times, your Anesthesiologist may recommend a regional anesthetic or “nerve block” to numb the operative area for some time after surgery. This can potentially lower the amount of oral pain medicines you may need after your operation.
Other operations have more intense postoperative pain. Surgeons routinely prescribe postoperative pain medication, but some patients require additional or alternative methods of pain control. Your Surgeon may ask the Pain Management Service to be involved in your care. The Pain Management Service can offer different or additional options to treat your pain that may have otherwise been unavailable.
What do my doctors need to know in order to formulate my pain management plan?
Helpful information includes:
- The type, location, and duration of your pain
- Previous pain management interventions
- An accurate description of your alcohol intake
- Medications you take for sleep or anxiety
- Recreational or street drug use
Can I take the medicine I brought with me from home?
Please do not take any medicines from home during your stay in the hospital.
Will I become addicted to pain medicines?
Tolerance to pain medication develops after extended administration of those meds. In patients who have no history of drug, alcohol, or other addition tendencies, it is extremely rare to develop an addiction to pain medications—especially if those pain meds are only taken as prescribed for a brief time after surgery.
You should let your Anesthesiologist and Surgeon know if you have a history of alcohol or narcotics addiction, so they can develop a proper postoperative pain management plan.