Post Operative Pain

Overview

Postoperative pain is a common complaint of patients who had go through any surgery. It can be either acute or chronic. Acute pain occurs when the patient experiences the pain within 24 hours postoperatively. Chronic pain occurs when the pain lasts for months. Postoperative pain occurs when the anaesthetic effects start wearing off after the surgery. Factors that affect the severity and duration of postoperative pain are the type and duration of the surgery, location of the injury or trauma, type of injury or trauma, preoperative management of the patient, type of anaesthesia perioperatively, complications of surgery, general health of the patient, age of the patient and post-operative management. However, postoperative pain is managed well in hospitals. Postoperative pain can be managed non-pharmacologically or pharmacologically. Non-pharmacological methods include hypnosis, hot and cold compressions, massage, acupuncture, and nerve stimulation. Drugs that can be used are paracetamol, opioids such as morphine and codeine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) such as diclofenac and ibuprofen and ketamine.