Chapter 3: Symptoms and health concerns

Pain – What may help

The healthcare provider will want to know about all medications being used at this time, even if the medication doesn’t require a prescription, such as acetaminophen (plain Tylenol) or an herbal remedy. Click below for some things healthcare providers and families can do to help.

What the healthcare provider can do

Considerations

The best judge of pain is the person experiencing it. It’s important to believe what the person is saying about their pain; treatment will not be successful unless people trust what the person experiencing the pain tells them.

What families can do

Complementary strategies can be used in addition to pain medications. Talk to a healthcare provider before using any of these techniques. Even simple things, like a heating pad, can have side effects. *See Complementary therapies and relaxation strategies PDF below.

Helpful resources
Caregiver module series: Module 5: About medications