Pain Management

What is a pain management plan?

A pain management plan spells out ways you can deal with your pain at home. You and your care team will create this plan before you leave the hospital. The plan may include:

  • The goals of your treatment. This may include how you can expect your pain and function to improve.
  • The treatments your doctor suggests for your pain. These may include medicines, physical therapy, or relaxation exercises.
  • Notes about how you and your care team will work together as you recover. Your team may include your doctor, a physical therapist, and an occupational therapist.
  • A review of your treatment goals for pain and function.

Your feelings about how you want to manage your pain are important. Be open and honest when you talk with your doctor. This will help ensure that you get a plan that is safe and that works best for you.

Following the plan

Sample plan

What is a sample chronic pain management plan?

Here is an example of a pain management plan. You can work with your doctor to complete it.

My Goals

Example: "Control pain long enough to walk the dog each day" or "Reduce or stop taking pain medicines by the end of summer."

  1. ________________________________________________
  2. ________________________________________________
  3. ________________________________________________
  4. ________________________________________________
My Non-Medicine Strategies

Example: "Complete my physical therapy exercises each day" or "Do yoga twice a week."

  1. ________________________________________________
  2. ________________________________________________
  3. ________________________________________________
My Medicines That Help With Pain

Include prescription and over-the-counter medicines.

  1. Medicine: ______________________
    • How much to take: ______________________________
    • How often to take it: ______________________________
    • Other instructions: ______________________________
  2. Medicine: ______________________
    • How much to take: ______________________________
    • How often to take it: ______________________________
    • Other instructions: ______________________________
My Next Steps

If I'm not meeting my goals, my doctor recommends:

  • ________________________________________________
  • ________________________________________________
  • ________________________________________________

Why should you follow it?

Why is it important to follow your pain management plan?

After you have an injury or surgery, a certain amount of pain is common and normal. But you can manage your pain after you leave the hospital.

The best way to do that is to follow your pain management plan. This will help keep you comfortable and able to do the things you want to do. It can also speed your recovery and help reduce the risk of problems.

Copyrighted material adapted with permission from Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor.

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