Pain Management & Palliative Care

At Stamford Hospital, your comfort is important to us. In addition to providing a healing, supportive environment, we want to minimize pain throughout your recovery. Some people believe that pain is something they just have to deal with. However, with today's palliative care treatments, that is no longer true. You do not need to tolerate a level of pain that distresses you.

We encourage you to work with your doctors and nurses to prevent and relieve pain, as follows:

• Ask your doctor or nurse what to expect with regard to pain from your condition or a procedure.
• Discuss any past experiences with pain management, and concerns you may have about medications and treatments.
• Discuss palliative care and pain control options, and work with your doctors and nurses to make a pain control plan.
• Pain is more easily managed when treated early. Please tell your nurse when you first begin to feel pain.
• If certain activities (such as physical therapy) cause pain, plan with the nurse to take medications ahead of time so that you can be more comfortable.

• Tell your doctor or nurse about any pain that won't go away, or if you are having side effects from the medication.

Palliative care pain medication may not always eliminate all pain. However, it should allow you to rest or perform needed activities. Pain is individual to each person. To be sure your pain management works for you, please use the following scale when describing pain to your doctor or nurse.