Pain Relief For Wound Dressing

World union of wound healing societies 2004 principles of best practice.

Pain relief for wound dressing.

Incident pain occurs at the wound site throughout the day during simple activities such as sneezing coughing walking or changing position. One trial indicated that pain relief achieved over 5 days with ibuprofen dressings could represent a clinically relevant reduction in pain. Dried out dressings and adherent products are most likely to cause pain and trauma at dressing changes. A wound dressing change can be painful in the moment but it is necessary for long term pain relief.

World health organization 1996 cancer pain relief. Use dressing securement techniques that ensure longer wear time of the dressing selecting products that are gentle to skin for removal. White r harding k 2006 trauma and pain in wound care. Dressing removal is considered to be the time of most pain.

There is pain related to the wound itself and what is called incidental pain pain that is caused by dressing changes debridement or other types of medical care. Often wound pain is a combination of nociceptive or neuropathic pain 1. Typically caused by damage to body tissue. Two trials tested a dressing containing ibuprofen however the pain measures and time frames reported were different.

The world union of wound healing societies differentiates between four types of pain. Talking to the patient was the most important factor for eight countries but for other countries facial expression and body language were the most important. Choose a dressing that can stay in place longer if pain is an issue and choose a dressing that promotes moist wound healing. Wound dressings help protect your wound while it heals so you need to follow your doctor s wound care instructions closely to make sure you are using and changing your dressings correctly.

Dressings topical creams and lotions have been promoted to reduce the pain of ulcers. Background pain can be an intermittent or continuous nagging pain at the site of a wound even at rest. Products designed to be non traumatic are most frequently used to prevent tissue trauma. Of course some patients are unfortunate enough to already have acute or chronic pain from another condition in addition to the wound itself.

Whether ensuring that a palliative patient can rest easily and with dignity or minimizing the pain experienced with a dressing change or even a debriding procedure wound care is fraught with pain and thus opportunities for pain management. Pain assessment results demonstrated that respondents made a general assessment of pain rather than specifically assessing patients pain at the time of wound dressing changes. Procedural pain is directly related to activities and procedures like a daily wound dressing change. Common wound related etiologies include decubitus ulcers mucositis and procedures such as debridement dressing changes or radiation treatments 2 3.

Gauze is most likely to cause pain.