By Dr. Manish Singh, Pain Management,

Surgery is often seen as a procedure that is synonymous with pain. As soon as your doctor says that you are going to be operated on, many questions arise in your mind and the anxiety kicks in. You immediately start questioning the seriousness of your condition, of the procedure itself and the pain you have to experience after surgery.

Mostly 3 kinds of pain as related to during a surgery, first being muscle pain like your shoulders, back and chest because of lying on the operating table for a long time, second being throat pain and third is movement pain that is the severe pain you experience while walking or sleeping after surgery or near the incision in your body. In most surgeries, pain is an inevitable companion but by following the right medication you can speed up your recovery and also reduce the risks of long-term problems.

1. Start Before Surgery: Tell your doctor about all the medication that is prescribed to you so as to avoid any drug interaction in your body that might hinder with pain control. Also, talk to your doctor about the pain involved in the surgery, expect the amount of the pain and ask any necessary question before your surgery to as to have complete knowledge of the surgery and its consequences.
2. After Surgery: Before surgery, talk to your doctor about your experience with different methods of pain control. Mention what worked for you and what didn’t so that your doctor can formulate a pain control method for you that works in effectively dealing with your pain.
3. Talk about Chronic pain:  if you are dealing with chronic pain you might experience additional pain apart from post-surgical pain. In such cases, discuss in detail about your condition to your doctor.
4. Be honest about alcohol and drug abuse: Tell you doctor if you are a recovering alcoholic or have a history of any other addiction so as to minimize the risk of relapse. If you’re currently misusing alcohol or drugs - even those that have been prescribed for you - let your doctor know. Withdrawing from these substances can be difficult, and the post-surgical period is not the time to try it.
5. Always ask Questions: Do not be reluctant to ask about the post surgical pain and the best possible methods to minimize the pain and its side effects. It might just clear all your doubts. If you’re afraid of side effects or overdosing on pain medications, talk to your doctor. He or she can help you understand strategies to safely manage your pain, such as combining medications or using patient-controlled analgesia.