Ethan GoodeTexas Tech University

Chronic Pain

Introduction

• Thesis-Even though a majority of patients prefer medical treatment pain management can be a better option because it helps control patients attitude, stress levels and helps improve the qualities of patients lives by teaching them avoidance of side-effects with methods as simple as presenting an opportunity to be heard.

Patients attitude

• Pain management is a better treatment option because it focuses strongly on positive attitudes and patient’s attitude significantly affects their ability to tolerate chronic pain.

• This proves that the psychological aspect of chronic pain is indeed very effective agent, and that pain management practices help convey a positive attitude to patients that will indubitable promote their quality of life with chronic pain

Patients stress

• When seeking medical treatment patients tend to seek short-term outcomes, which causes frantic personalities and ultimately results in high stress levels.

• . Pain management is meant lower stress levels and control fluctuations of pain.

Being heard

• When medical staff does not see improvement they assume that it is psychological that the pain is not there but it only exists in patients heads.

• Techniques learned from pain management can improve communication with doctors and nurses

Counterargument

• Though several of the side effects are physical and can be dealt with many of them are on an unseen psychological basis, Walker et al provides explanation of the impact medications have on the psychological condition of patients. Walker et al conducted several studies and concluded, “some patients were, indeed, suffering from psychological problems, though some of these appeared to be attributable to their medical treatment” (624). This statement reveals how dangerous the side effects of pain medications can be.

Conclusion• The argument that medical treatment is better than pain management may

have been true in the past, but medical treatment keeps producing the same attitude the same side effects and the same short-term outcomes. Pain management helps patients have better attitudes, less stress, avoid side effects and improve communication. Pain management is a growing idea that is a promising concept. There are several points that prove that pain management is a better option. First, the fact that patients can achieve an optimistic attitude through pain management seems to reward itself. Secondly, there is the possibility of drastically reducing stress, which pain or no pain will improve the quality of anyone’s’ life. Next, there is the problem with side effects, which can be help through the mental applications of pain management. Finally, there is an opportunity for patients to be heard. This can be of mutual benefit between both the patients and the medical staff. With so many pros stacked for pain management, how could patients or medical staff not want to give it a try?

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