Pain Management

At the Hospital Particular do Algarve the Chronic Pain Clinic consists of  a team of anesthesiologists with specific expertise in this area.

Chronic Pain is a medical concern and its treatment is an ethical and humane duty.

This consultation provides an opportunity for a convenient treatment and is an asset in the entire region of the Algarve.

What is pain?

The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as a multidimensional experience involving an unpleasant sensory and emotional component that is associated with an injury. It is known as the 5th vital sign. The increase in life expectancy and the social burden of the most prevalent chronic diseases such as cancer or osteoarticular disease make the control of chronic pain a fundamental treatment.
 

How is pain rated?

It is considered acute if the duration is less than 6 months associated with surgery, trauma or acute illness. Has a known cause, body location a limited time span and a spontaneous resolution.
It is chronic when it persists for more than 1 month after an acute problem, has  no time limit and is  sometimes due to an unknown cause.

What are the different types of pain?

• Nociceptive Pain - Somatic is when associated with trauma, burn or ischemia - is localized and is a sharp stabbing pain. It is visceral when caused by changes of the viscera and sometimes difficult to pinpoint. It is referred to as a nagging pain. Frequent in a gastrointestinal disorder or cancer
• Neuropathic Pain -  Change in the structure or the functions of the nervous system. Neurological disease or peripheral such as trigeminal neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, post-herpetic neuralgia or polyarticular. It is referred to as a burning sensation , electric shock, tingling sensation or painful  to the touch (allodynia)
• Psychogenic pain - pain with psychological repercussions to the body – who has yet not felt this?

How is pain diagnosed?

The assessment of pain is carried out in the pain consultation. The doctor carries out an extensive physical examination with  medical history, evaluates previous examinations results and uses a  pain rating scales.
 

How to treat pain?

In 2001 Portugal a national health plan to combat pain was designed and Pain Units were created throughout the country. The scope in the treatment of pain is endless and can range from myofascial pain, fibromyalgia, headaches and back pain, in addition to those already mentioned.

The treatment is based on the Analgesic Ladder using various drugs and techniques which are  more or less invasive. Collaboration between the psychologist and the various medical specialties in  hospitals or hospice care, plays a key role, especially in patients with cancer.

In the century. XXI living with quality and dying with dignity constitutes a basic obligation of the human condition!