Sometimes, even for those of us that love words, love to write, or journal, or anything with words; may find ourselves at the doctor's office, with tongues that are still and silent.
A visit to our Pain Management doctor's office can be overwhelming. No matter how long it has been since the last visit, we know that each day has been unique, up and down even within that one day, and then to gather one month's worth of days into words to give our pain doctor that answer to the question(s)," How have you been feeling? How is your pain?", is a daunting task.
My answer to this problem has always been to keep a daily journal of each medication I take, when I took it, how long before the meds were effective on my pain, and I try to use words to describe that days pain. When It is time for my doctor's appointment, I look back over those daily entries, and not only bring it with me, but to keep time at it's most effective for the visit and not sit and flip through each page while sitting there with my doc, I prepare a page that describes that month's daily pages into one.
From this, I can tell doc how my pain has been, same, better, or worse, (general), and how long it takes for the medications to be effective-- helps us to know if the meds are prescribed correctly, the med itself, the mgs., or the time they are to be taken.
It is when the WORDS are needed to answer what the pain FEELS like that I scrape that daily med log for the words I wrote to describe my pain that day that really helps me to come up with something for the doc. I'm listing some words that describe pain for you, in case you need some words to consider for your next doctor visit.
Does your pain feel or have the sensation of:
Hot-- Cold-- Warmth-- Periods of these?
Piercing-- Piercing with any of the above?-- Does it spread or stay in one place?
Deep-- Surface-- Pounding-- Seems to go with heartbeat?
Grinding-- Bone against bone-- Pulling-- If any of these, what are you doing, (if anything)?
Muscle-Involved-- Pulled muscle-- Tendon/Ligament-involved......
Squeezing-- Like a hand is inside squeezing area-- Twisting.....
Constant-- Intermittent-- Consistent-- Relentless.....
That's a start to help you pull some words if you are at a loss, or possible give you a new one to describe your pain.
I hope this helps.
Gentle Hugs!!!
Monday, May 25, 2009
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Shauna, your post made my day. I'm always harping on my students about the importance of word choice, and you've hit the nail on the head with the descriptions of pain.
ReplyDeleteCarleen dearest...
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you found these words of use...I looked back on the post after I wrote it and thought of a few more I use, but oh well...can always add them to another post. I know I'm coming over to your 'place' to see what my tag is for!!
Gentle Hugs honey!
Shauna,
ReplyDeleteThe doctor who does my pain management has a form that gets filled out at each visit. I detest it.
While I understand his need to quantify things, the form is really tough for me because there are 0 to 10 pain scales to fill in a bubble and it's hard to pick a number when it varies so much.
Like you, I take notes with me to appointments.
It's hard with my doctor's office because there are a couple of things open to interpretation on the form and I try to be consistent in how I fill out the form.
I detest that form. I love the doctor. I just can't stand that form. I always write things in the margins... put conditions on the bubbles I filled in!
Jeanne
Dearest Jeanne,
ReplyDeleteI agree 100% that 'we' need to, as you wrote, 'put conditions' on what you have filled in....
You know so well the run-around we need to do as pain patients, from our doctor visits to filling meds. Not as easy as many think!! And since all we can do is speak words to say how we are doing, no machines, no blood work to tell the doc 'how we are doing', guess we are left with silly smiley faces and 1-10 pain scales, which I think will soon be replaced with much better ways to 'tell' our pain to others.
Special Gentle Hugs to you Jeanne,
Shauna :-)
This is a good reminder. I know sometimes I get to the dr and all my thoughts have escaped my mind!
ReplyDeleteDear Yaya,
ReplyDeleteYep! The old tongue-tied syndrome seems to hit us...but we can't be monitored, have a blood test taken; to have our diagnoses all wrapped up with a bow.
For us, anything we need to report is what really makes for a forward-motion doctor visit...but for me Yaya, without my trusty med journal, and monthly summary, (OMG I sound like a nut!), I would sit there trying to piece all that time together into words for the doc...and waste that precious time!
Yet always easier said than done.
Gentle Hugs, and thanks for the mail!!
Shauna,
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm always putting conditions on the bubbles and writing in the margins. I'm not sure how many other patients do this but I can't NOT do it. So I just keep doing it. I agree it can only get better in the future.
As far as the thorough notes you keep, there's nothing wrong with that at all.
As far as I'm concerned, it's a wise use of appointment time. We know how generous they are with appointment time in this era of "managed care".
To me "managed care" is code for "inferior care", "rushed care", and sometimes "lack of care".
Jeanne
Sadly, most doctors treat the diagnosis and not the patient.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.the-new-science-of-pain-relief.com/56029/50850.html
The Free Online Class Section has been updated with some great videos.
Pain effects MORE Americans than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined!
Pain – 76.2 million people, National Centers for Health Statistics
Diabetes – 20.8 million people, American Diabetes Association
Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke – 18.7 million people, American Heart Association
Cancer – 1.4 million people, American Cancer Society
Our present way of treating CHRONIC PAIN is not working.
Pain of any type is the most frequent reason for physician consultation in the United States, prompting half of all Americans to seek medical care annually.
Most doctors and patients do not understand chronic pain.
In 80% of cases the cause of pain cannot be established
Quebec Task Force on Spinal Disorders: Spine 1987; 12:S1-S59
85% of pain patients lack a specific diagnosis.
Deyo et al: JAMA 1992;268:760-765
Hope it helps, Dr. Connelly
Jeanne,
ReplyDeleteAgree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And how about 'carefully denied care', or 'let's make this as ridiculously lengthy and complicated care'?!?!?!?!
Will Health Care in America EVER get straightened out?
HUGS!!!!!!!
Dear Dr. Connelly, Thank you for a very insightful and informative comment.
ReplyDeleteTwo sentences caught my eyes immediately:
"Most doctors and patients do not understand chronic pain."
Agree 100%, and also even the terminology used by most laymen and patients, (and our families), is incorrect, but mainly misunderstood and unclear, causing unnecessary false beliefs regarding medications if prescribed.
and.....
"In 80% of cases the cause of pain cannot be established."
Quebec Task Force on Spinal Disorders: Spine 1987; 12:S1-S59
Not knowing their diagnosis, a pain patient is more likely to sink into pain's favorite co-diseases and disorders--the psychiatric part of life in pain; especially depression. To know WHY is so important, it gives validity, a 'reason' for practically all activities, and now, non-activity. A diagnosis makes it 'all' have a purpose.
Speaking from my heart, when that T-11/T-12 Otsoephyte was found, with a closed foramen, for me there was a sense of relief, and a sense of closure, in that I was no longer be going from doc to doc to find out what the hell was wrong with me, and as a Hospice nurse, wondered why my non-malignant pain was lasting longer than 6 months!
Thanks for the great comment Dr.
Gentle Hugs are always given around here.....
May you soon not be able to give first-person accounts any more.
ReplyDeleteOK, I know that's unlikely, but a gal can hope.
Dear Zoe,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your upbet comment!! Yep, a gal can wish....
I checked out your blog and beame a follower on it....
Thanks so much for the visit,
Gentle Hugs!!