RESOURCES

Pain Management

Managing pain in both the short and long term is always very important after a severe wound or injury. While morphine and similar opiates are extremely valuable and requisite tools, they are not the only tools in the box.

Based on multiple recommendations from an Army-led Pain Management Task Force, the Army is seeking to move away from merely dispensing pain medication to embracing a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to caring for soldiers. Yes, that sounds sounds nearly ridiculous after being shot or blown up. No one is even suggesting that a wounded Green Beret should be in more pain than necessary.

Yet, there are some great ideas on the table and good progress is being made in transitioning to less addictive medication at an appropriate time, and even invoking a holistic approach at the individual level.

If pain management is a significant issue for you now, or becomes so in the future, the resources available at the Pain Foundation may be a great help.