Many people think that telling others that they are in pain means that they are complaining or being a nuisance. However, it is important that you do not put up with pain. You should report any pain to your doctor even if it is minor, so that your doctor can investigate the cause of your pain and recommend appropriate pain relief. There are various drugs to control different levels of pain.
Always consult your doctor about any new or worsening pain. Do not change or start any pain relief medication without consulting with your doctor.
Some questions your doctor might ask about your pain include:
Where is the pain?
Is it in one part of your body, or more? Does it start in one place and gradually spread during the day?
What is it like?
For example, is it dull and aching, burning, or sharp and stabbing?
How bad is it?
Try to rate your pain by comparing it with pain you have experienced before, such as headache, back or period pain, sports injury, childbirth. If you were to rate your pain on a scale of one to ten, how would you rate it, if one was no pain and ten the worst pain you can imagine?
Does anything make the pain better or worse?
For example, do you feel better standing, sitting or lying down? Does a hot-water bottle or ice-pack help? Or perhaps some pain-killers, such as paracetamol? Can you distract yourself with a good book, music, TV etc? Is the pain there all the time? Does it come and go? Is it worse at night? Does it keep you awake? Does it wake you up?
