[Assessment of pain].
Assessment of patient's pain is crucial to effective pain management. It requires not only the knowledge of pain scale, but also a closely listening ear and a sharp eye. It also needs to be constantly re-evaluated by the healthcare team. While taking pain history, encourage the patient to do most of the talking and explain the pain characteristics with his/her own words. This is important when classifying the pain to predominantly nociceptive or neuropathic pain. Since cancer pain is not purely acute pain, assessment of pain needs not only to evaluate pain scores but also to evaluate patients' physical function and the impact of pain on his/her daily activities. Assessing secondary effect of pain, such as anxiety or financial worries, and reducing them may decrease the overall experience of pain.
Nozaki-Taguchi
Natsuko
N
Department Of Anesthesiology, Chiba University Hospital.
D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*