The final item that needs to be included in communications about pain with the doctor or nurse is what the patient is doing to treat the pain. Specific information should include what medications were taken and whether or not they were effective in decreasing the pain, and for how long. Patients need to be direct in their communications about pain. If a patient keeps a pain diary, the diary should be brought to the physician's office or clinic so that the information in the diary can be reviewed and changes can be made in the pain management plan. Patients should not experience needless pain or suffering from unrelieved pain.
Effective treatments are available to manage pain.
Patients must provide healthcare professionals with the information they need to develop an effective pain management plan. Since pain is a subjective experience, the only person who is completely knowledgeable about the pain is the person who is living with the problem. Management of Cancer Pain. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. Differences in patients' and family caregivers' perceptions of the pain experience influence patient and caregiver outcomes.