![]() ![]() ![]() If someone is in their last weeks or days of life, the focus will be on making them as comfortable as possible. How can pain be managed towards the end of life? Read more about the different people who may be involved in their care. If the person is in a hospital or hospice, ask the team who is responsible for their care or pain management. Some GP surgeries have an end of life care champion who may be able to help. You can also ask to speak to another doctor in the GP practice or the practice manager. If you're not happy with the care provided by the GP or GP surgery, it might help to discuss your concerns with the GP initially. If you feel that your family member or friend needs medical care that day (for example, if they have pain or other symptoms that are not under control), it can help to let the receptionist know. You may need to call a few times to be able to get through to them. We know that it can sometimes be difficult to get through to the GP surgery or get an appointment, and this can be frustrating and upsetting. refer your family member or friend to a specialist team who are experts in pain management – this might be a hospice at home team, palliative care team or other pain management specialists.arrange for district nurse or community nurse to come and help with their pain.If your family member or friend is at home or in a care home, their GP is responsible for their care. Keep these safe and share these with anyone who will be helping to look after your family member or friend. You may have been given contact details for a specialist team who you can contact directly. Tell the doctor or nurse if you've noticed any changes, and they can assess your family member or friend. Some of these things are normal changes towards the end of life and the person may not be in pain – for example, it's normal for people to stop eating and drinking towards the end of life. becoming withdrawn or not making eye contact.changes in their posture, including being tense or rigid.changes in their routine such as refusing food or drink (although this can be a normal part of dying).changes in their mood – for example, being quieter or becoming aggressive.If the person cannot communicate verbally, you can look for signs that they are in pain. The doctor or nurse should try to involve them in discussions and decisions if possible by asking yes or no questions, or using visual aids (like a pain scale). They might also have a condition or disability that makes it difficult for them to communicate verbally. When someone is in their last weeks or days of life, it is normal that they sleep more or might become unconscious. If your family member or friend is unable to communicate Read more about pain in terminal illness, including questions the doctor or nurse might ask and different types of pain. This means the person is in the best position to say what their pain is like. How bad is the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is 'no pain' and 10 is 'the worst pain possible'?Įveryone feels pain in their own way and everyone responds to it differently.What does it feel like? (aching, tingling, sharp, burning).This might involve asking them questions and doing a physical examination. The healthcare professional will talk to your family member or friend about their pain so they can find the right treatment for them. Read more about what to expect in someone's last weeks and days. Your family member or friend may also be experiencing other symptoms. Read more about different types of pain that people may experience. Towards the end of life, pain can sometimes be worse if someone is finding it difficult to accept that they are dying or they are worried about how others will cope when they are gone. Feeling stressed, anxious, worried, tired, or alone can all make pain worse. People who have experienced pain during their illness or who have certain conditions, such as cancer that has spread around their body, may need more support to manage their pain.Īlthough pain is a physical sensation, we also know that lots of other things can affect how people experience pain. It could also be caused by a condition they've had for a while, such as arthritis. Pain can be caused by the person's illness itself, or by a treatment or operation they've had. It happens when damaged areas of the body send signals to the brain. ![]()
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