
It’s frustrating to be unable to do much to help a family member who is in pain. Keeping a detailed pain diary may be a step in the right direction, though. This isn’t as complicated as it might sound.
Keep it Simple
A pain log does not need to be complicated or involved at all. In fact, the more complicated it is, the less likely you and your family member are going to be to use it at all. A pocket-sized notebook can be just the right size to carry with you wherever you go so that the information you need is handy. You could just as easily use a note-taking app on your smartphone. The format isn’t as important as using the log is.
Get Detailed
In each entry, you’re going to want to get detailed about what is going on. You’ll need to include information about where the pain is and what kind of pain it is. It helps to know when your family member started feeling the pain and how long that bout of pain lasted. If you tried anything that made the pain worse or better, it’s important to note that as well.
Use the Pain Scale
The is something that is frequently used to determine how much pain someone is in. no one else can ever fully understand another person’s pain and it’s often difficult for people to connect with the Pain Scale because it seems so subjective. But if you use this tool in your family member’s detailed pain log, you can gradually find that it’s easier to accurately gauge where she is on that scale.
Share the Information
Jotting down the information you’re collecting is only half the battle, of course. The other half is getting it in the hands of people who can help your family member. Palliative care providers can get a lot of use out of your family member’s pain log and it can help them to tweak her pain management plan on a daily basis if necessary. The more information you have to share, the more detailed that pain management plan can get.
Keeping a pain log regularly can help you and your family member to spot what is helping and what isn’t. It can also give her medical team the information that they need in order to make the right decisions to help her be comfortable.
If you or an aging parent are considering palliative care in West Chester, PA, please contact the caring staff at Serenity Hospice today. Call (215) 867-5405.