Surgery and painkillers go hand in hand. After all, you need strong painkillers to make sure you’re pain-free after surgery, right?

Prescription pain relievers are not always needed, but are generally not recommended after surgery because they can increase opioid addiction. As a result, today’s surgeons are rethinking their methods of reducing pain after surgery. You should do this if you have surgery.

In the 1990s, the number of opioids prescribed to patients undergoing surgery or experiencing pain increased each year. An orthopedic surgeon and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates that the number of older adults will double between 2004 and 2020, from 1.2 percent to 2.4 percent. A class of drugs whose average dose is higher than the recommended dose.

Pain Management Review

Pain Management Review”Opioid analogs are the third most common medications prescribed by orthopedic surgeons in the United States, so we are poised to change the landscape of postoperative pain medication overdoses,” he said.Dr. Matkin. Today, surgeons like him are increasingly turning to non-opioid and other options for pain relief. Before surgery, they initiate further discussions with patients to develop a safe treatment plan.

If you plan to have surgery, a postoperative pain plan can help you avoid unnecessary opioid use.

Tips for effective and safe ways to relieve pain:

Avoid opioid pain relievers as long as you can. Often, non-opioid pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) taking this medicine as advised after iftar helps in curing post-operative pain. One study involved knee arthroscopy in some patients. Those who were sent home for non-OPIOID pain. According to study results, 82% of arthritis patients who underwent meniscectomy (a common knee surgery) or chondroplasty (a procedure to repair knee cartilage) used non-opioid medications to manage their pain and achieve satisfactory pain control.

Professor of Orthopedics at Harvard Medical School. If you must use opioids, limit the time you take them, says Christopher Chiodo. Ideally, you should take the medication for less than a week if other options don’t help, he says. One way to reduce the opioid dose is to use a non-opioid therapy such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen (if approved by your doctor).

“Plastic surgeons set expectations for their patients before surgery. When they expect to experience some pain or discomfort, they become nervous,” Dr. Matzkin said.

Use non-drug techniques to manage pain. The key to effective pain control is to use a combination of methods. “If you’ve had lower extremity surgery, keep it elevated after surgery. This can greatly help with pain, swelling and wound healing,” says Dr. Chiodo. Icing the area for 24 to 48 hours after surgery may also help. But be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions carefully when using ice. Long-term use can cause tissue damage, especially in patients who lose sensation in the area after the anesthetic used during surgery wears off.

There is a fine line between complete rest and rest and prolonged inactivity. For many patients, especially after surgery, the line becomes blurred. Prolonged lying or sitting causes pain instead of pain relief. If you want to avoid stiffness, we recommend getting up and walking every hour or two. But be careful, if you experience severe pain while doing simple tasks like walking and standing, you should contact your doctor immediately. .

There is no doubt that surgery is a major intervention that is unfamiliar to your body. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t use traditional methods to relieve pain. It is always wise to take steps to give your body positive feedback. For example, if you can always get pain relief without a prescription, you should be wary of postoperative pain. Additionally, if you use heat to relieve pain, it may be a good option after surgery.

You can relax in any way like gardening, walking, listening to music etc. Two relaxation techniques that we find helpful for most patients are guided imagery and mindfulness meditation. The first thing you need to do is take deep, slow breaths. Now imagine a calm environment where you feel relaxed and comfortable. By combining smells, sounds and colors, you can make the images in your mind as vivid as possible. We recommend that you practice this relaxation technique for 5 to 10 minutes every day.

In another technique, mindfulness meditation, you simply lie down or sit quietly and observe your breathing. When you feel pain distracting you from your breathing, instead of forcing it, notice it and try to focus on your breathing. Doing this for 20 minutes daily will reduce symptoms significantly.

Reference https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11307-pain-control-after-surgery

https://www.verywellhealth.com/tips-for-improving-surgery-pain-3156819

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/managing-pain-after-surgery-2019020715940

https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2023/three-tips-for-managing-pain-after-surgery/

Pain Management After Surgery: Do’s and Don’ts

https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/pain-relief-after-surgery

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/pain-medications/art-20046452

https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/features/managing-pain-after-surgery

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https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/recovery/managing-pain-with-medications/

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https://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/Surgery/MPOPeducation-ManagingPainWithoutOpioids.pdf