How to make managing your patient’s pain less painful!

The AEME gang sit down to discuss the recently updated British Geriatric Society guidelines on the assessment of pain in the older patient.

Discussion topics:

1. Do we assess pain in the older patient well? If not, why not?!

2. What are the barriers to eliciting a good pain history?

3. What analgesics should you start and how?

4. Are there any non-pharmacological options for pain relief out there?

Our CotEcast Commandments:

1. Do not think pain is part of the normal ageing process

2. Remember to ask about pain

3. Start low and go slow

4. Remember to regularly reassess response and side effects of analgesia

References, Links and Resources:

The Assessment of Pain in Older people: UK National Guidelines; Pat Schofield, Age and Ageing, Volume 47, Issue supp_1, 1 March 2018

Guidance on the management of pain in older people; Age and Ageing 2013; 42: i1?i57. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afs200

http://www.bgs.org.uk/pdfs/pain/age_ageing_pain_supplement.pdf

How to make managing your patient’s pain less painful!