Question

.When a client has pain disorder, powerful analgesics such as narcotics are generally contraindicated, even though the client is suffering unremitting pain. How might the nurse feel when working with

Answer 1

Nurses may feel conflicted when managing pain in clients with pain disorder as powerful analgesics like narcotics pose a risk of addiction and serious side effects. Chronic pain can continue due to inflammation and immune response even after tissue has healed, requiring careful consideration of pain management strategies.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a client has pain disorder, use of powerful analgesics such as narcotics is generally contraindicated, despite the client's unremitting pain. Nurses may experience a conflict between the desire to alleviate the client's suffering and the knowledge of the potential risks associated with narcotic use, including addiction and the side effects of these drugs. Opioids are indeed very effective at pain relief, but they carry a high risk of addiction and can have serious side effects, necessitating careful oversight by healthcare professionals. It is known that chronic pain can persist even after the tissue has healed and may be associated with sterile inflammation involving components of the immune system, such as macrophages that release chemical messengers causing pain. Due to the addiction crisis that began in the 1990s, driven by an increase in the prescription of opioid drugs, healthcare providers are more cautious with prescribing these medications and often favor other pain management strategies.