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Pain Control for Teenagers
How can I tell if my teen is in pain?When in pain, teens often show their pain in different ways. You may see one or more of the following behaviors:
We will be asking your teen about his or her pain. A good way to rate his or her pain is on a scale from 0 to 5 (0 = no pain, 5 = worst pain). Occasionally, teens are afraid to admit that they are in pain as this may appear "weak" to others. Male teens often fall into this group. They believe that "toughing it out" will prove they are strong and mature. Not getting good pain relief can result in a longer hospital stay. A person who hurts doesn't want to cough, breathe deep, walk, eat, and drink - activities necessary for a quick and healthy recovery. You may notice that your teen reports pain but a few moments later he or she is visiting with friends or playing a game. This does not mean that he or she is faking or complaining to get attention. He or she is using a common method of ignoring his or her pain we call distraction. Teens use many distractions to tune us and their pain out. Take your teen's complaints of pain seriously - we will too. What is the best way to treat teen pain?Medicines are available to treat most of your teen's pain. Sometimes the doctors order the pain medicine to be given every so many hours, but usually you need to ask for it when your teen hurts. Please do not wait until your teen's pain is severe as this requires more time for the pain medicine to work. For instance, if your teen's pain is rated between 0 to 5 (0 = no pain, 5 = worst pain), we probably need to give medicine for anything at 3 or above. Please let us know when the pain is at 2 or 3 instead of waiting until it is at 5. Each teen has different things that help him or her with his or her pain relief. Other things besides medications that help treat your teen's pain are:
Can my teen become addicted to pain medication?Some teenagers won't talk about their pain because they fear addiction from taking pain medication. It is important that teens be given the facts about addiction so that their fear will not result in needless suffering. Drug addiction means that a person is taking a drug to get a mental "high" instead of relief from pain. When in pain, a teen needs relief so that he or she can function. Once the pain is gone, he or she will no longer need the pain medication. At that time, the medication will gradually be stopped. The truth is that addiction is very rare when medication is taken for pain. Finally, even though teens appear independent most of the time, they still need their parents. A hospital stay can be frightening and traumatic for a teenager. One parent is allowed to stay at their teen's bedside at all times. Your presence can be very reassuring and comforting to your hurting teen. Feel free at any time to ask questions and voice any concerns about your teen's care. Your teens health and well-being are our primary concerns. [Keywords: pain control] |
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