Assessment of Pain Management Strategies in Postoperative Patients : A Comparative Study

Abstract

Introduction : Postoperative discomfort continues to rank among the most common issues in surgical care. Effective pain management strategies are essential for lowering complications, enhancing quality of life, and hastening patient recovery. Methodology : A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 60 postoperative patients selected through purposive sampling.  Setting was ramsnehi hospital bhilwara for this study. Tools included a socio-demographic and clinical data sheet, Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), and a checklist for pain management strategies. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results : Majority of patients reported moderate to severe pain during the first 24 hours postoperatively. Pharmacological methods such as opioids (62%) and NSAIDs (48%) were most commonly used. Non-pharmacological methods like deep breathing (35%) and positioning (28%) were also employed. Patients receiving combined pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies had significantly lower pain scores (mean = 3.1 ± 1.4) compared to those receiving only pharmacological management (mean = 4.8 ± 1.6) (p < 0.01). Conclusions : According to the study's findings, postoperative pain was lessened by a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions than by pharmacological approaches alone.