Pain pain go away

 

As published in November/December Southwest Health: Interventional Pain Clinic Memorial Health Center 3400 Main Street Vancouver, WA 98663 (360) 696-5022

Sometimes pain is a short-term inconvenience that goes away with rest or an over-the-counter pain reliever. But other times, nothing you do seems to help. Fortunately, almost any kind of pain, including back pain, cancer pain, musculoskeletal pain and shingles-related pain, can be treated. The first step is to talk with your doctor, especially if your pain is caused by shingles Your doctor may recommend several treatments, beginning with pain medications or injections. Your doctor may also recommend physical therapy, such as heat and cold treatments, exercise, or massage. Chronic pain may trigger depression, and depression can intensify physical pain. Your doctor may recommend a trained professional to teach you coping skills, relaxation techniques, and other ways to change your physical, mental and emotional responses to pain. If you have been living with chronic pain and other treatments have not helped you, ask your doctor about PeaceHealth Southwest’s Interventional Pain Clinic . Don’t wait for pain to go away. No matter what the cause, get help now.

Checklist for describing pain
Where is the pain?		Head
		Neck
		Shoulders
		Arms
		Hands
		Chest
		Back
		Middle torso
		Lower torso
		Pelvic area
		Legs
		Knees
		Feet
		Additional details:
Does the pain travel to other parts of your body?		Yes
		No
		Additional details:
How did the pain start?		Gradually
		Suddenly
		Additional details:
When did the pain start?		After an injury
		After doing something in your regular routine
		After doing something outside your regular routine
		Additional details:
How long have you had this pain?		More than a day
		More than a week
		More than a month
		Additional details:
How long does the pain last?		My pain is constant.
		My pain comes and goes.
		My pain occurs at a certain time of the day (morning, afternoon, night, etc.).
		Additional details:
How intense is the pain?		Mild
		Moderate
		Intense
		Unbearable
		Additional details:
Where is your pain on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is hardly noticeable and 10 is the most unbearable pain imaginable?		1
		2
		3
		4
		5
		6
		7
		8
		9
		10
		Additional details:
What does the pain feel like?   Can you describe the pain as aching, burning, cramping or pinching, sharp or dull, pressing or squeezing, pounding or throbbing, tingling or radiating, etc.?		Additional details:
Does the pain get worse depending on what you are doing?		Yes
		No
		Additional details:
Does the pain lessen or ease up depending on what you are doing?		Yes
		No
		Additional details:
Is the pain affected by the weather, your living environment, your working environment, your lifestyle, or other external factors?		Yes
		No
		Additional details:
What else should the doctor know about your pain?   Additional details: