The Secret to Relieving Your Pain: The Right Words
Bottom Line Health spoke with Seth A. Waldman, MD, anesthesiologist and director of Pain Management at HSS, about how to describe pain accurately to a physician, in order to receive the appropriate treatment.
Dr. Waldman explained seven key elements for describing pain, which include intensity on a scale of 0-10; words and stories to describe what the pain feels like; the location and duration of the pain; what makes the pain better or worse; the psychological impact (if any); and medications being taken for relief.
Dr. Waldman also suggested keeping a pain diary for at least a week prior to a scheduled physician’s appointment, to clearly communicate the details of the pain to a physician.
Read the article at Bottomlineinc.com.