ACUTE PAIN MANAGEMENT:

GET INFORMED.
BE PREPARED.

Approximately 80 million people in the US experience acute pain every year.

Acute pain is defined as pain lasting less than 3 months that occurs suddenly and is often caused by something specific, such as injury or surgical operation. If you or a loved one are dealing with or preparing to experience acute pain, you may have questions. The resources below can help you initiate a conversation with your doctor to start getting the answers you need.

GET STARTED

This information is for educational purposes only.
Talk to your doctor if you have questions.

HOW ACUTE PAIN WORKS

Acute pain occurs suddenly and is often caused by something specific, like injury or surgery. Your body responds to acute pain by creating pain signals, which move through a set of sensory nerves from the site of the injury to the brain. It’s in the brain where these signals are perceived as the sensation of pain.

TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT WHAT PAIN TREATMENT REGIMEN IS RIGHT FOR YOU.

DOCTORS MAY PRESCRIBE A FEW DIFFERENT TYPES OF PAIN MEDICATION AFTER INJURY OR SURGERY.

These medications usually fall into 2 broad categories:

OPIOIDS

For moderate-to-severe pain:

These medications work in the nervous system and brain and provide pain relief of moderate-to-severe pain
Side effects may include nausea, vomiting, constipation, delirium, difficulty breathing, and risk of addiction

NONOPIOIDS

For mild-to-moderate pain:

Include over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers (eg, acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs])
Effective, widely available, and are generally well tolerated
Side effects of NSAIDS may include heart problems and gastrointestinal events. Side effects of acetaminophen may include liver injury

HEAR WHAT PATIENTS HAVE TO SAY

Pain is a complicated topic. Bringing it up or finding the right words can be challenging—even with your doctor. Watch the videos below to learn how 2 patients navigated their acute pain.

NADIA'S STORY

Nadia tore her ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in a skiing accident. After surgery, she was prescribed a pain management plan, but it wasn’t quite right for her. Nadia advocated for herself and worked with her doctor to develop a treatment plan that fit her needs.

SUPERSCRIPT:

Each year, ~80 million adult patients in the US experience acute pain

SUPERSCRIPT:

For Nadia, self-advocacy was a critical part of her pain journey

VOICEOVER:

It was a very sharp, intense pain in my knee. It kind of was like a rubber band snapping.

SUPERSCRIPT:

Nadia, 26
Nurse & Cheerleading Coach
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tear

VOICEOVER:

I injured myself attempting to ski. I actually had a full thickness ACL tear. I had to do a follow-up with my doctor who was going to be my surgeon. He did advise that he would be sending a controlled substance to the pharmacy and that I would take that around the clock. And then also, if I needed, I could alternate over-the-counter medication.

My main concern when taking the opioids was the side effects.

Addiction stories—they start out kind of just like mine. I was an athlete. I wasn’t comfortable taking a controlled substance. So I chose not to. My doctor let me choose the path I wanted to go on. He told me if I needed it, it was there.

I think it’s super important for the doctor to understand and be open to letting you self-advocate. You know yourself and your body. And I think if you self-advocate, it gives more of an understanding and more information to the doctor to kind of understand where you’re at.

I would like to see in the future some different approaches to pain management.

SUPERSCRIPT:

Vertex is committed to researching and understanding acute pain

SUPERSCRIPT:

Talk to your doctor about your acute pain management

FOOTNOTES:

Nadia received compensation from Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated for her participation in this video.

The content in this video is not meant to replace conversations with a healthcare provider or be misconstrued as medical advice.

This video is brought to you by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated.

Vertex and the Vertex triangle logo are registered trademarks of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated.

JULIAN'S STORY

When Julian ruptured his patellar tendon in a basketball game, he knew it was serious. What he didn’t know was how severe his acute postsurgical pain would be, and the challenges he would face.

SUPERSCRIPT:

~80 million adult patients in the US suffer from acute pain in any given year

SUPERSCRIPT:

…but every one of them has a unique story

VOICEOVER:

The pain was like a blowtorch right to your knee. I jump up to grab a rebound and when I come down… I kind of braced for impact. My friends loaded me into the car and drove me over to the emergency room.

SUPERSCRIPT:

Julian, 29
Sales & Marketing Entrepreneur
Patellar Tendon Tear

VOICEOVER:

They tell me it's a 100% full thickness tear of my patellar tendon. After I was diagnosed, they connected me with the orthopedic team.

The pain after surgery was, I would say, maybe ten times worse than after the injury. I can recall times where I'm, like, counting down the minutes to get the next dose because the pain was just so intense.

I would say that first 3 to 4 weeks was probably the darkest—physically, mentally, emotionally. I think that time is very dark because it can feel very lonely.

My relationship with the surgeon was great… and got better over time with the check-ins. And I felt connected. I felt cared for. I felt like he took me into consideration.

I wish the future of pain management, quite honestly, would include more options.

SUPERSCRIPT:

Vertex is committed to researching and understanding acute pain

SUPERSCRIPT:

Talk to your doctor about your acute pain management

FOOTNOTES:

Julian received compensation from Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated for his participation in this video.

The content in this video is not meant to replace conversations with a healthcare provider or be misconstrued as medical advice.

This video is brought to you by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated.

Vertex and the Vertex triangle logo are registered trademarks of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR DOCTOR

Dealing with acute pain can be complicated. Be prepared for your next doctor’s visit by pulling together some questions in advance to ask your doctor. The more you know, the more productive your conversations with your doctor will be. The following discussion guides are designed to help get the conversation started.

PREPARING FOR ACUTE PAIN AFTER SURGERY

Do you have an upcoming surgery? This Preparing for Acute Pain After Surgery Discussion Guide^* can help start a discussion with your doctor about making an acute pain management plan together for your procedure. Download the full discussion guide for important topics to bring up, such as:

Things to consider before surgery
Expectations after surgery/in recovery
Understanding your acute pain medication

DOWNLOAD THE PREPARING FOR ACUTE
PAIN AFTER SURGERY DISCUSSION GUIDE

EXPERIENCING ACUTE PAIN

Are you experiencing acute pain? This Experiencing Acute Pain Discussion Guide* can help you talk to your doctor and figure out next steps for your acute pain management. Download the full discussion guide for important conversation starters on the following topics:

What to expect from your acute pain
Considerations about your acute pain medication

DOWNLOAD THE EXPERIENCING
ACUTE PAIN DISCUSSION GUIDE

^*These are sample questions to help get the conversation started between you and your doctor. This is not, nor is it intended to be, a medical evaluation, examination, advice, consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with your doctor for all medical- and health-related matters.

If this is a medical emergency, please dial 911 immediately or go to the nearest emergency room.