Pain management following surgery has evolved significantly over the years, with more personalized options to make recovery smoother and safer.
Recovering from surgery can be tough. Modern approaches to pain management strive for balance, focusing on relief and long term well-being.
Opioids have historically played a vital role in easing post-surgical pain. Growing concerns about dependency and side effects have led to more careful practices.
"It's changed a lot the last ten years," Dr. Jon Benfield, the senior medical director of pain services for Intermountain Health, said.
Benfield said physicians now combine opioids with non-opioid medications, nerve blocks and physical therapy to help patients recover safely.
"I would say it's more calculated, it's more proactive, it's more thoughtful for patients," Benfield said.
Joy Johnson, a busy mother of two, talked about her experiences managing opioid use during recovery.
She emphasizes the importance of having a support system to avoid overuse.
"Luckily, since that first surgery, I've been married for all my other surgeries, so I kind of just had been able to tell my husband that I don't want to take it past two days, so don't let me take it past two days," Johnson said.
Sydney Dahl took opioids for her recovery from nasal surgery.
Dahl says she found them to be very helpful in managing the pain that she experienced.
"I think coming off the anesthesia, plus having a lot of work done on my nose at the same time, really made it a great situation for me to have this pain medication, and it really helped a lot," Dahl said.
New options, including FDA-approved medications and medical devices, offer promising alternatives for pain relief.
"I think it's very cool, I think it's very neat," Benfield said. "I'm excited about it. But I think the jury's still out on how well it'll help."
Benfield said pain management is no longer a one-size-fits-all approach.
Dahl expressed feeling empowered to take control of her recovery with confidence and safety.
Benfield encouraged anyone experiencing unexplained pain to speak with a physician about their concerns.