Here are some helpful details that your healthcare team will want to know about your pain:

Where is your pain located?

Pay attention to where you feel pain. Is it in your head, torso, arms or legs? Is it deep inside your body, or nearer the surface? This will help your health care team suggest the most appropriate treatment.

How would you describe your pain?

Is it sharp, shooting pain? Or is it dull and throbbing? Do you experience burning, tingling or numbness with your pain?

What pattern does your pain present?

When does it start? When is it the worst? When does it feel better?

On a scale of 0 to 10 (with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain you have experienced), how bad is your pain? Would you describe it as mild, moderate or severe? Is it constant, or does it come and go? If you are taking pain medication, is it working? Give your doctor and nurse the names of various pain medications you have tried in the past. Which ones worked, and which failed? Which were most effective?

Other important details. Does the pain prevent you from carrying out your normal routine? Other than medication, what tactics have you used to deal with your pain?

Treatment: General Pain

With chronic non-cancer pain, patients usually exhibit irritability, fatigue, and an inability to concentrate. Chronic non-cancer pain ultimately overshadows a patient's life. It results in reduced quality of life, and may lead to social isolation and emotional turmoil. Treatment is difficult and often includes a combination of treatment modalities tailored to the patient's specific needs and goals

Therapeutic approach: for Chronic non-Cancer Pain

• Start with non-invasive non-opioid therapy based on available evidence for efficacy and lowest risk of adverse events
• If pain is not controlled, trial of opioids is appropriate with dose management to effect
• If pain is still not controlled, consider more invasive interventions that support efficacy and least risk for permanent dysfunction