Speaking with a health care professional may help to determine the cause of the pain and what may be done to relieve the pain. Many patients may complain that they fear they will become addicted to pain medications or do not want to take pain medications until they absolutely have to. These beliefs, and others, may hinder pain management programs and may make treating whatever is ailing the patient more difficult.

Pain may have significant negative affects on a person's life. Experiencing pain may hinder a person's willingness to engage in social situations, spend time with family or friends, and may have a negative impact on the person's performance in other aspects of their daily lives such as work and school.

Pain may also prevent people from being active, sleeping well and eating. People experiencing pain may also feel depressed or afraid. So, treating or managing pain may be very important.

Managing pain may be most successful if the patient and doctor have a plan for controlling or relieving the patient's pain. The plan may consist of a schedule of when to take medications, when extra medications may be needed and other activities that may be helpful in easing or relieving pain.

Finding the right approach to pain management may be variable. Many people may have success with certain schedules or pain relieving activities, while others will not. Finding a pain management plan that is effective on an individual basis may be important and may take some trial and error.

Keeping a log or record of how medications work and their effectiveness in relieving pain may be helpful. The patient may also wish to share this information with their health care professional.

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