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Management of Pain without Medications

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Overview
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  • Medications
  • Psychological therapy
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  • Post-surgery pain
  • Management of pain without medications
Overview
Types
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  • Medications
  • Psychological therapy
  • Other therapies
  • Post-surgery pain
  • Management of pain without medications

Management of Pain Without Medications

What is non-pharmacological pain management?

Non-pharmacological pain management is the management of pain without medications. This method utilizes ways to alter thoughts and focus concentration to better manage and reduce pain. Methods of non-pharmacological pain include:

Education and psychological conditioning

Not knowing what to expect with cancer treatment is very stressful. However, if you are prepared and can anticipate what will happen, your stress level will be much lower.

To decrease your anxiety about cancer treatment, consider the following:

  • Ask for an explanation of each step of a procedure in detail, utilizing simple pictures or diagrams when available.
  • Meet with the person who will be performing the procedure and write down answers to questions.
  • Tour the room where the procedure will take place.
  • Ask what you can expect as an outcome of the treatment.

Hypnosis

With hypnosis, a psychologist or doctor guides you into an altered state of consciousness. This helps you to focus or narrow your attention to reduce discomfort.

Methods for hypnosis include:

  • Imagery: Guiding you through imaginary mental images of sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and feelings can help shift attention away from the pain.
  • Distraction: Distraction is usually used to help children, especially babies. Using colorful, moving objects or singing songs, telling stories, or looking at books or videos can distract preschoolers. Older children and adults find watching TV or listening to music helpful. Use distraction appropriately, and not in place of an explanation of what to expect.
  • Relaxation/guided imagery: Guiding you through relaxation exercises such as deep breathing and stretching can often reduce discomfort

Other non-pharmacological pain management may utilize alternative therapies such as comfort therapy, physical and occupational therapy, psychosocial therapy/counseling, and neurostimulation to better manage and reduce pain. Examples of these non-pharmacological pain management techniques include the following:

Comfort therapy

Comfort therapy may involve the following:

  • Companionship
  • Exercise
  • Heat/cold application
  • Lotions/massage therapy
  • Meditation
  • Music, art, or drama therapy
  • Pastoral counseling
  • Positioning

Physical and occupational therapy

Physical and occupational therapy may involve the following:

  • Aquatherapy
  • Tone and strengthening
  • Desensitization

Psychosocial therapy/counseling

Psychosocial therapy/counseling may involve the following:

  • Individual counseling
  • Family counseling
  • Group counseling

Neurostimulation

Neurostimulation may involve the following:

  • Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
  • Acupuncture
  • Acupressure
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Condition Spotlight

Stanford Pain Chief Leads National Pain Strategy Effort
Dr. Sean Mackey on Pain Management and Stanford's Approach to Treating Pain
Dr. Sean Mackey on Pain Management and Stanford's Approach to Treating Pain Play Video | 3:15
Taking Your Life Back from Pain's Control – with Mind, Body and New Medical Vision
Taking Your Life Back from Pain's Control – with Mind, Body and New Medical Vision Read Story

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may have access to the latest, advanced clinical trials.

Open trials refer to studies currently accepting participants. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but may open in the future.

Open Trials Closed Trials
Treating Phantom Limb Pain Using Continuous Peripheral Nerve Blocks: A Department of Defense Funded Multicenter Study Pain
Minocycline to Reduce Pain After Carpal Tunnel Release Chronic Pain, Pain
Simulation-Based Training for Ultrasound-Guided Perineural Catheter Insertion Chronic Pain, Pain
Optimizing Catheter Insertion Technique for Ultrasound-guided Continuous Peripheral Nerve Blocks Chronic Pain, Pain
Clinical Trials View All »
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