During your stay at Carroll Hospital Center, our goal is to maximize your comfort. Your health care team will work directly with you to help assess your pain and design a pain management treatment plan that is right for you. We are here to help experience pain relief, around the clock, to assure you are feeling as comfortable as possible during and following your stay here.

Pain Management Methods
There are many types of pain management methods. They are prescribed based on the severity and type of pain a patient may beexperiencing. Themost common pain
management methods are:

• Orally. Medications in the form of pills or liquids.
• Injections. Pain medications such as morphine are often injected into the body, most commonly in the arm, buttock or thigh.
• Intravenous (IV) Injections. A prescribed dose of pain medication administered into a vein in the patients arm through and IV catheter.
• Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA). A type of IV that allows the patient to administer his or her own pain medication using a special pump. This system monitors and limits doses to those prescribed by a physician.
• Patient-Controlled Epidural Analgesia (PCEA). A type of IV that allows women in labor to administer their own pain medication using a special pump. This system monitors and limits doses to those prescribed by a physician.
• Epidural Infusion. Pain medication administered through a catheter that is inserted into the epidural space—in the middle to lower spine.
• Complementary/Non-Medicinal Therapies. Techniques such as deep breathing, massage, music and positive imagery can aid in pain relief with minimal side effects when properly used.

Commonly Prescribed Medical Treatments
While recovering following an illness, injury or surgery, your physician may prescribe one or more pain medications. The medication plan ordered for you will depend on the location, type and severity of pain you are experiencing.

• Opiates. Used to control moderate to severe pain and are administered orally or through an injection.
• Local Anesthetics. Used to provide temporary pain relief and administered by injection.
• Antidepressant & Anticonvulsant Medications. Used to block pain in the body and most often administered orally.
• Benzodiazepines. Used to relieve spasmodic pain and administered orally or through an IV or injection.