Pain Assessment

Minimising trauma and pain during dressing changes cannot be achieved in isolation. Pain at dressing changes is just one factor in the patient's total wound-related pain experience, and must be looked at in context. It is therefore essential to:

• Obtain a detailed pain history, bearing in mind that:
  • Chronic wounds may cause heightened sensitivity in both the wound and surrounding skin
  • Wound pain may get progressively worse and more generalised with time
• Assess pain before, during and after each dressing change, to give a clear picture of how much pain is due to the procedure
• Identify factors which may affect how the patient appears to react
  • General anxiety and distress can make pain worse
• Identify causes of pain from any underlying medical condition and make appropriate interventions

Overall and wound-specific pain should be continually monitored and the patient should be involved in all decisions concerning pain management.