Think about when you have your teeth cleaned at the dentist or exer-
cise particularly vigorously. You might be sore afterward but you
know it will pass, and wouldn't think of taking an opioid to manage
the discomfort. You would likely turn to ibuprofen or naproxen to
ease the soreness.
Be an active participant in your own care. While you're in recov-
ery, the nurse will ask if you're in pain and if so, how much. Be
descriptive in explaining how you feel, noting if you are sore, uncom-
fortable or in serious pain. If you're in major pain, ask that the opioid
prescription be written for a small amount, such as 5 pills, as unused
pills can fall into the wrong hands. In fact, more than half of the people
who misuse prescription painkillers get them from a friend or relative.
Keep in mind, while surgical pain can be severe, it is almost always
temporary. Your pain will improve significantly within a few days
regardless of whether or not you take opioids.
Limit the opioids. If you're in severe pain and are prescribed opi-
oids, use them sparingly. Take them only for a day or 2 after sur-
gery, 3 days at most.
Be aware of other downsides to opioid use. Opioids cause
severe constipation and often don't manage pain as well as peo-
ple expect. Additionally, they can cause hyperalgesia, meaning they
can actually increase sensitivity to pain.
If pain persists
If patients are in continued severe pain after surgery, we recom-
mend that they ask a physician anesthesiologist or pain specialist
about other strategies to manage pain, including exercise, nerve
3
4
5
Anesthesia Alert
AA
3 2 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 7
