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Conquering Pain Together during Pain Awareness Month: The Let's Talk Pain Medication Safety Series
More than one-quarter of Americans age 20 years and over report issues with pain that last for more than a day. That translates to approximately 76.5 million Americans and is more than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. Pain can be debilitating and limit people's day-to-day activities. Untreated or undertreated pain can negatively impact one’s physical and mental health. The consequences of unmanaged chronic pain can be devastating for patients.
Fortunately, there are pain management therapies to help people manage their pain. In talking with their health care professionals, patients should understand the risks and benefits of pain treatments to assess the right treatment option for them. While there are no risk-free pain therapy options, taking the right measures and precautions can lead to reduction in pain, increased function and a better quality of life.
As a resource for people with pain, their families and/or their caregivers, the Let's Talk Pain Coalition has created a Web-based series for them that discusses the appropriate use of opioids, over-the-counter medications and medical devices. This unique series features candid dialogues between patients, their caregivers and health care professionals about pain and its safe and effective management. Watch the series to hear real-life compelling accounts about developing successful pain management plans.
**The personal stories in these videos are unique to the individuals and are not to be taken as medical advice. People affected by pain are advised to work with their health care professionals to develop a pain management plan that is right for them.
- Episode 1: Tackling the Challenges of Pain and Pain Management
- In-Depth Profile: Kathy Church
- Episode 2: Communicating about Pain: For Healthcare Practitioners
- Episode 3: Communicating about Pain: For People with Pain
- In-Depth Profile: Denise Coleman
- Episode 4: Thinking and Feeling about Pain
- Episode 5: Maintaining an Active Life with Pain: Integrative Pain Management
Episodes
Introduction
Leaders from the Let's Talk Pain Coalition address safety issues related to the treatment of pain in America. Founding member organizations of the Coalition include the American Pain Foundation (APF), the American Academy for Pain Management (AAPM) and the American Society for Pain Management Nursing (ASPMN).
Episode 1: Safe Use of Opioids
APF Action Network leader and patient advocate Teresa Shaffer talks with Al Anderson, M.D. and member of the AAPM Board of Directors, about how her medication program has helped improve her ability to walk without a wheelchair. Dr. Anderson emphasizes the important role of physicians in prescribing opioids to patients with pain, including conducting a risk assessment to prevent diversion and abuse of pain medication.
Episode 2: Safe Use of Opioids
APF volunteer advocate Andrea Cooper is a musician and visual artist who has suffered from pain since her early 20s. Andrea shares her active role as a patient during her course of pain therapy management with Terry Grimes, M.N., R.N. As president of ASPMN and a practicing nurse, Terry has seen firsthand how important it is for health care professionals to have an open dialogue with patients about the risks associated with opioids.
Episode 3: Safe Use of Over-the-Counter Medications
After a car accident in 1995, Gwenn Herman turned to over-the-counter medications to help control her pain. Gwenn shares the side effects she experienced from over-the-counter medications and the barriers she and her husband, Malcolm faced in their search for the right pain specialist. As Gwenn’s caregiver, Malcolm talks about the ongoing support he provides throughout her experience with pain. Don Bivins, M.D., specializes in pain management and speaks to managing over-the-counter medications in a multimodal treatment plan. Gwenn, Malcolm and Don are volunteer advocates with APF.
Episode 4: Safe Use of Over-the-Counter Medications
Karen Kiefer, R.N., member of ASPMN, talks with Marine Corps veteran, APF staff and advocate Carolyn Noel about steps patients can take to reduce the risks of over-the-counter medications by tracking their pain levels and medication administration in a journal.
Episode 5: Safe Use of Medical Devices
Patient advocate and APF Board Vice-Chair Mary Vargas lives with an implanted medical device. She refuses to allow pain to take a front seat to being a mother of three and practicing law as a disability attorney. Mary talks with Cassie Snyder, M.S., R.N. and ASPMN Past President, about the life-changing decision of choosing to go with the device and the role of medical devices for people with pain. They also discuss the risks and benefits to consider before opting for an implantable medical device.
Episode 6: Safe Use of Medical Devices
Dan O’Neal shares about how a single moment changed his life—the day he lifted a table saw the wrong way. Faced with continuous unbearable pain, Dan made another life-changing decision—to have an intrathecal pain pump implanted. Dan and his wife, Linda, talk about the positive impact a medical device has had for Dan’s pain management. Cassie Snyder, M.S., R.N., discusses with Dan common potential adverse events from medical device surgery as well as signs to watch that could be signaling medical device failure. Dan, Linda and Cassie are volunteer advocates with APF.
