What you should know about pain

"Studies show that people die in pain.
This is unacceptable and unnecessary."
Dr. Gary Doolittle, University of Kansas Medical Center,
Chair of the LIFE Professional Education and Systems Change Task Group April, 20, 2000-Russell Record

Pain is defined as "a sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage".

Pain is a very personal experience that causes major changes in many areas of people's lives.

The proper treatment of pain must be a major issue for all health care providers, and for all patients.

Studies show us that at least 40% of patients at the end of life have significant pain. Kansans should expect to have good pain control.

As we learn more about how the body works, pain management continues to improve. With the many ways of dealing with pain, it is not acceptable for any Kansans to live or die in great pain.

LIFE Project partners have some principles of pain managment about which every Kansan should know. These principles make it clear that all Kansans deserve, and should expect, good pain management.

For more information on pain and pain management, contact the Kansas Pain Initiative at (913) 588-3692 or visit their website at www.kumc.edu/kcpi.

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KANSAS PAIN MANAGEMENT HOTLINE:

Let your physician know that the Kansas Pain Initiative offers a "Physician Help Line" for issues dealing with managing patient pain. If your physician would like to consult with someone about managing your pain or the pain of someone you love, have your physician call Dr. Robert Twillman at
(913)588-3692 .