The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast #299 Acute Pain Management for the Hospitalist
Oct 11, 2021
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Assess Pain Beyond The Number
- Assess pain beyond a single numeric score by asking characteristics, location, and descriptors.
- Use those features to distinguish nociceptive, neuropathic, and visceral pain and guide treatment choices.
Pain Type Dictates Therapy
- Pain type (nociceptive vs neuropathic vs visceral) changes which medications and modalities will work best.
- Asking for descriptors like burning versus aching reveals underlying mechanisms to target.
Stabilize Severe Pain Quickly
- Stabilize severe acute pain quickly with a fast-acting IV opioid like fentanyl or hydromorphone.
- Treat concomitant symptoms such as nausea and anxiety simultaneously to improve analgesic response.