Question

Lesson 4 Discussion Question -- Musculoskeletal Conditions by Course Creator Do Not Contact - Thursday, January 30, 2020, 11:12 AM What are the considerations that must be taken into account for patients with musculoskeletal conditions? How should you respond who are in pain when they come into the office? Think about patients with musculoskeletal conditions who have been prescribed pa medications. What are some considerations with this and describe how narcotic dependence can be prevented?

Answer 1

1) The considerations that must be taken into account for patients with musculoskeletal conditions are :-

• Musculoskeletal conditions can cause pain in muscles, bones, and joints of the patients and plays a significant role in causing worldwide disability.
• Patients of all age can suffer from these conditions.
• Patients suffering from these conditions requires treatment and thus they should be treated as per their requirements.
• These conditions commonly causes depression in the patients and there is a risk of developing other diseases.

2) We should respond positively and carefully to the patients who are in pain. We should explore possibilities of different ways to manage and treat the pain of such patients.

These patients who are in pain can be treated by the following ways depending on their requirements

• Non - pharmacologic interventions such as exercise, weight control, hot fomentation, traction, and other conservative measures.
• Psychological therapy
• Pharmacologic therapy which uses pain reducing medicines.
• Surgical treatment.

​​​​​​​3) Considerations about patients prescribed with pain reducing medications are :-

• Side effects of pain reducing medications should be considered.
• We should try to control the pain of such patients by the pain reducing medicines other than narcotic medicines.
• There is a risk of addiction and dependence to the narcotic medications which should be prevented.

​​​​​​​Dependence on the narcotic pain reducing medications should be prevented by weaning patients down / off of narcotic pain medications. As much as possible, we should try the alternatives of narcotics pain reducing medications.