Abstract
A dequate management of procedural pain during physiotherapy management plays an important role in building a trusting relationship betweenthe burn victim and the physiotherapist, and in ensuring desirable functional outcomes. However, the burn pain management regimens currently utilized inburn units, primarily consist of traditional pharmacologic analgesics which areassociated with numerous side-effects and alone are often reported as inadequateto alleviate procedural pain, warranting safer and effective adjunct therapies.Prior to the introduction and implementation of adjunct therapies into a developing world, it is imperative that the current situation in a burn unit, in terms of whether or not the pain management regimens in place are adequate, is first assessed, due to cost concerns. The following short report exemplifies the pain and anxiety experiences of a small number of burn injury patients during physiotherapy at the Tygerberg Hospital adult burn unit, South A frica. It was hypothesized that the results of this study would underpin whether adult burn injury patients in a developing countryrequire adjunct therapies during physiotherapy management to supplement traditional pharmacologic analgesics inmanaging their procedural pain and subsequent anxiety.
Highlights
Successful participation in physiotherapy after a severe burn is crucial for minimizing long-term disability
Rehabilitation for burn injury patients is hindered by pain and subsequent anxiety caused by the physiotherapy management itself and the anticipation of the treatment session
The appropriate management of procedural pain in burn injury patients has been a major challenge for health professionals working in burn units globally (Abdi et al 2002, Richardson et al 2009, ConnorBallard et al 2009)
Summary
Successful participation in physiotherapy after a severe burn is crucial for minimizing long-term disability. Concerns for the risk of drug addiction, drug side-effects, underestimation of the complexity of burn pain and ignorance regarding the proper administration of analgesics during burn rehabilitation often leads to the under treatment of burn pain by health professionals (Ptacek et al 1995; Jonsson et al 1998; Richardson et al 2009). This is of concern as uncontrolled burn pain could result in physical and psychosocial problems and destroy the trust patients may have in their health provider (Connor-Ballard et al 2009). Adequate management of procedural pain plays an important role in building a trusting relationship between the burn victim and the physiotherapist, in reducing subsequent anxiety and in promoting patient compliance with rehabilitation, thereby improving functional outcomes (de Jong et al 2007)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
