Pain Control: Evidence-Based Approaches

Course overview

An approach that prevents and treats acute pain while avoiding unnecessary exposure to opioids is the goal of pain management (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [DHHS], 2019b). Clinicians should integrate patient-centered approaches, therapies, technology, and self-care strategies while collaborating with other professionals to manage pain (Cohen et al., 2020). However, barriers to the use of best practices for pain management are prevalent at the patient-provider, practice, and systems levels. Resolution of stigma and structural inequalities that limit access to evidence-based pain treatments is required to eliminate barriers.