Pain policy

What is pain?

Pain is an unpleasant, often intense experience we feel when our bodies are damaged or at risk of being damaged. It can be acute (short-term), or chronic (longer than 3 months). Pain is not only physical, but also affects our mental, emotional and social well-being.

There are different types of pain:

• Acute pain: short-term and often obvious of cause (such as after surgery or injury)
• Chronic pain: pain that persists for more than three months, even if the original cause has disappeared
• Neuropathic pain: pain caused by damage to nerves
• Cancer-related pain: often a combination

Why is pain treatment important?

Pain management is internationally recognised as a basic human right. Failure to treat pain adequately may be considered medically unacceptable.

Pain treatment in a hospital is important for several medical, psychological and social reasons. Pain is a form of suffering. Good pain treatment contributes to faster recovery. Poor or no pain treatment can lead to the development of chronic pain, which is much more difficult to treat. Without proper pain management, patients often cannot properly participate in rehabilitation or physiotherapy, hindering recovery.

Why a hospital-based approach is important

At the hospital, we can take a professional and multidisciplinary approach to pain. Meaning:

• Targeted diagnosis: identify what type of pain you have (acute, chronic, neuropathic, ...)
• Individual treatment: tailored to your situation and medical history
• Cooperation between specialists: doctors, nurses, pain nurses, psychologists and physiotherapists work together
• Prevention of chronic pain: by treating early and efficiently
• Human-centred care: your comfort and quality of life are central

Pain is more than just a symptom

Pain is not only a signal from the body, but also an experience that affects your physical, emotional and mental well-being. Untreated or poorly treated pain can lead to:

• Worse recovery after surgery or injury
• Disturbed sleep and fatigue
• Loss of appetite and mobility
• Anxiety, depression or social isolation
• Increased risk of developing chronic pain

Your role as a patient

You are an important part of the treatment team. By communicating openly about your symptoms, effect of treatments and expectations, we can come to a better approach together.

When and how do we measure pain?

Nurses will ask you at least three times a day what your pain is like. For this, they use a pain scale from 0 to 10, where 0 means no pain and 10 is the worst pain imaginable.

This way, we can tailor the treatment to the level of pain you feel. No one can say in your place how severe your pain feels.

How do we treat pain?

In a hospital, pain can be treated in different ways, depending on the cause, severity, duration of the pain and the general condition of the patient. Here are the main ways pain is treated in a hospital:

Without medication

In addition to pharmacological pain management or when the pain is mild-moderate, the healthcare provider can check whether the following actions may be sufficient for the patient:

• Suggesting good posture (position, changing position)
• Checking parameters Heat-cold therapy
• Comfort, rest, change position, cuddle, distraction (music, TV, conversation, ...), relaxation, ...
• Using the VR Glasses (Virtual Reality)
• TENS therapy

With medication

At our hospital, we believe it is important that every patient receives the correct pain management tailored to her or his needs. That is why we use the WHO - pain ladder, an internationally recognised roadmap that helps to treat pain in a safe and effective way. The ladder consists of three stages, where we start with lighter painkillers and - if necessary - switch to stronger medication.

A few tips:

• Always follow the advice of your attending physician.
• Don't compare your pain with someone else's pain. Every body is different and everyone experiences pain in their own way.
• Take pain medication at prescribed times. Definitely do not skip a time at the beginning, even if you are not in pain at that time. This will prevent sudden severe pain.
• The ladder is flexible: doctors can skip or combine steps
• Neuropathic pain often requires additional medication, such as antidepressants, anti-epileptics.

Multidisciplinary approach

In cases where it is particularly difficult to treat the pain, the Algology Team (Pain Team) can also be consulted. The pain nurse makes an evaluation of the pain using information from the nursing record, the attending physician and the patient.

The algologist may be requested for consultation by the attending physician. An algologist (pain doctor specialising in pain) is a doctor specialising in the examination and treatment of pain. In a multidisciplinary team, the pain specialist collaborates with nurses, psychologists, and other specialists to draw up an individualised treatment plan.

When psychosocial factors play a role in the pain experience, involvement of the psychologist of the Algology team is appropriate, especially when "Yellow flags" such as feelings of anxiety related to the pain, loss of control, hopelessness, depression, etc. are present.

For chronic pain, referrals can be made to the Multidisciplinary Pain Centre (MPC), where follow-up is outpatient.

Good pain management shows that the hospital takes the patient seriously. It boosts patient confidence in the healthcare system and improves the overall experience of care.

Any questions about pain management during your admission? Feel free to speak to your attending physician or nurse.