Did you know?
Your genes can affect the level of pain that you experience.
Pain control is important not just for your comfort, but also to speed your healing, avoid complications and to prevent post-op pain from becoming chronic pain, which is long-term pain that can be difficult to manage.
There’s also evidence that a person’s expectations about pain relief can affect how well the treatment works.
You should be aware of something your doctor already knows — that no two people experience pain the same way. That’s because there are many factors that impact how much pain you feel. Some are physical, some are in the mind and some are even cultural — but they’re all very real.
Discuss pain management options with your doctor long before your surgery date. There are treatment choices to consider before and after surgery that can impact the medications used, for example, opioid versus non-opioids, and for how long they’re needed.
