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Questions? We're here for you.
Pain can only be defined by the person who is feeling it. Understanding your pain helps your care team treat it and know whether treatments you try are working.
To be in pain means to hurt or suffer. Your pain may be something you feel in your body, such as aches, tightness or muscle cramps, or a feeling related to your emotions, your spirit or your mind. In any case, the way pain feels is unique to the person with pain.
It is important for you to report pain to your health care provider or hospice team. Understanding your level of pain helps them know what treatments to try and whether the treatments you have tried are working for you.
Click the arrow to scroll through the questions your doctor or hospice team may ask you about pain.
Sometimes you may want to try to manage pain with methods other than (or in addition to) medicine. Try the tips below at those times, including while you are waiting for a new dose of medicine to start working. Ask your health care provider or Agrace team if you need training on any of these methods. Click the “+” to learn more about each pain-relief technique below.
Agrace Hospice Care patients, if you have waited the right amount of time for a dose of pain medicine to work and tried these tips, but your pain is still not managed, call Agrace at (608) 276-4660. You can call any time of day or night, including on weekends and holidays.
This method is simple: Turn on a fan and point it at your face so you can feel the breeze.
Why this may help: Flowing air can ease troubled breathing, and that relief may reduce pain.
Hold your loved one’s foot or hand in both of your hands. Use your thumbs to make gentle circles against their muscles.
Use lotion to moisturize skin and prevent tugging. Don’t rub too long in one spot if you notice signs of flinching or discomfort.
Why this may help: Gentle massage may help decrease anxiety, agitation, pain and joint stiffness. It may also affect a person’s quality of life by helping them relax.
Certain scents, such as lavender, eucalyptus and citrus can be enjoyable and calming. Add a few drops of an essential oil or a spritz of a favorite body spray, pillow spray or cologne to a washcloth or tissue. Place it where you can take in the aroma.
Why this may help: Certain scents stimulate the olfactory system (sense of smell) and areas of the nervous system that promote relaxation and pain relief.
Caregivers, try this. Reminisce, watch TV or play a game together with your loved one. Try to get them to laugh. Spend time with them or help them spend time with a pet.
Why this may help: Changing mental focus to something other than the pain prevents a person from concentrating on it and may also actually reduce the level of pain.
If you are an Agrace Hospice Care patient, talk to your Agrace care team anytime you have concerns about pain, medications, side effects or other treatments for pain. You can call us any time of day or night if you are uncomfortable and need relief urgently.
If you need help urgently for an Agrace Hospice Care patient, please call. Otherwise, email us directly at caregiversupport@agrace.org, or send your questions through our online contact form.
Call to talk to an interpreter / Tenemos intérpretes disponibles: (800) 930-2770
For more expert advice from Agrace, visit Agrace.org/CareTips.
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