excellent article on pain and it's assorted problems

[Just Plain Ruff]

http://www.emsresponder.com/features/artic...n=0&id=7058

This article will make you re-think your approach to pain control.

Excellent article.

[firedoc5]

I had always tried to relieve pain when possible with any patient, especially with the elderly who's pain threshold might be low. I worked with doctors through medical control who did and didn't want pain control in the field. At the time there were always arguments for both. Occasionally with chest pain or obvious fractures I'd skip medical control and go by protocols and give MS. Back then MS was really the only pain med. we carried. We did ask to carry Demerol but they never did approve it. Even though some docs frowned upon it, I never got in trouble for doing it. Actually there were only two docs that stand out in my mind that expressed no pain control in the field which was frustrating. I agree that sometimes pain control is everything, so I never understood why in some systems it is not allowed.

I'm starting to ramble today, so I'll stop for awhile.

[AZCEP]

With the number of different methods that are available no one should be forced to endure pain. Items as simple as splinting or positioning can be used, and if they don't work move toward pharmacology.

Everyone tends to want to use a drug first, but that isn't always needed.