Although palliative pain management is a contentious concept, it is critical to relieving and preventing the suffering of patients at the end of their lives. Palliative sedation also provides an opportunity for patients and their family members to accept, to reconcile, and to move on from chronic pain during terminal disease. Given these benefits of palliative sedation, it is unsurprising that patients, family members and healthcare providers need to make informed decisions on how to most effectively manage end-of-life pain.
But how can healthcare providers objectively measure something as subjective as pain? A number of healthcare provider-based scales have been developed that estimate the extent of pain for patients under palliative sedation. Since the state of sedation often affects patient responsiveness and consciousness, these scales are dependent on more subjective symptoms, such as alertness, agitation and the sensation of well-being.
But how do different healthcare providers gauge the effectiveness of palliative sedation on different patients? What are the best objective scales to judge the effectiveness of palliative sedation? Until recently, it was difficult for healthcare professionals to answer these questions because of a lack of well-controlled and designed studies.
In a recent publication in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, Dutch researchers have determined that not all of these sedation scales are equally reliable. Importantly, some scales were shown to be more variable than others in guiding healthcare providers as they gauge the effectiveness of palliative sedation. Although additional well-controlled studies must be completed, these findings will help to better control palliative pain sensation and improve patient well-being.
If you or a family member suffer from a terminal illness, and would like information on palliative sedation, please contact one of our offices. The New York Pain Management Group welcomes the opportunity to advise you on palliative sedation.
*DISCLAIMER: These are not medical diagnoses or suggestions for any specific individuals. They are an overview of various conditions, treatments and topics discussed by New York Pain Management Group. If you would like to discuss your symptoms in greater detail, do not hesitate to contact the New York Pain Management Group. To learn more about treatment options for this and other pain conditions, contact us today at www.nopainny.com or call at 1-888-789-NOPAIN! We will be happy to assist you.