Non-Pharmacological Management of Acute Pain after Breast and Thoracic Surgery

Abstract

Pain after thoracic and breast surgery is a common phenomenon, and it is usually influenced by various factors including surgical, patient, and cultural factors. However, the pain that patients who have undergone breast or thoracic surgery experience has either been overlooked, undermanaged, or managed solely with pharmacotherapy by healthcare providers. This oftentimes result in impacting the patients’ recovery process and even quality of life. Literature has identified that inadequate pain management after breast and thoracic surgery and the resultant side effects of pharmacological therapies can be reduced by including non-pharmacological interventions into patients’ care plan. Some of the recommended interventions include music, massage, aromatherapy, cold therapy, meditation, acupuncture, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Most of these non-pharmacological therapies are easy to use, promote patients’ involvement in their own care, have no or minimal side effect, and are cost-effective. Therefore, it is essential for healthcare providers to include non-pharmacological pain management in the plan of care even before surgery.