Management of Acute Pain

Acute pain is a symptom of disease that may be of new onset or an exacerbation of a chronic condition. Diagnosis of the underlying condition and treatment of the acute pain should be dealt with concurrently using a multimodal analgesia model by utilizing drugs and therapies that interfere with pain perception at different aspects of the pain pathway. Various medications may be used, each with their special properties but limited by their respective side effects and contraindications. The caring physician should know when to refer to hospital and when to refer to a specialist in a timely manner. Some reference is also made to the treatment of the neuropathic component of acute pain and the treatment modalities available to the caring physician.

Learning Objectives :

To understand in sole terms the complexity of dealing with acute pain
To discuss the various treatment options and their side effects and contraindications
To highlight the need for referral to specialist care and further investigations




Goal:

Better understanding of the use of various analgesics and their combination in a multimodal model and the appropriate use of the various analgesics drugs and adjuvants.