Surgical Pain Management

The best way to control your pain after surgery is to start managing it before surgery.

Your comfort is important to us! ChristianaCare’s comprehensive pain management program is designed to help you manage your pain with less need for opioids or narcotics.

Before we take you to the operating room, we will give you a combination of non-opioid pain medicines, such as acetaminophen, celecoxib, gabapentin, ibuprofen and/or ketorolac to take with a sip of water.

1. You will receive instructions to take non-opioid medicine on a regular basis for several weeks. Please take these medicines, as directed, whether you have pain or not. Taking these medicines regularly can help stop your pain from getting worse.
2. Use the stronger opioid medicine as you need it for pain that does not get better with other treatments.
3. If your doctor prescribes gabapentin, take it in the evening. This medicine helps reduce pain and reduce the amount of opioids you will need to take. It may also decrease your chances of developing long-term pain that may last for months or years. Gabapentin may cause sleepiness, slurred speech and blurred vision. If any of these side effects bother you, you may stop taking this medicine.

Contact your doctor with any questions about managing your pain.