In Australia, burns are common, accounting for around 5500 hospital injuries each year. The proper management of burn pain is crucial to the rehabilitation process and in reducing the chance of long term psychological sequelae, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. A wide array of therapeutic options is available to the clinician in managing burn pain in a hospital setting. These evidence-based options include opioids, non-opioid medications, anxiolytics, anaesthetics, as well as relaxation techniques and cognitive behavioural therapy. In managing chronic pain, therapeutic options vary between pharmacological and non pharmacological approaches used for acute pain. Consideration of these pain relief options can optimise the management of patients with burns and maximise their rehabilitation, leading to earlier hospital discharge.
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Management of burn wound pain in the hospital setting
