Do you want to avoid using opioid medicines to manage pain before, during, or after surgery? Then the Opioid-Free Pain Management Program for Surgical Patients at UPMC Shadyside is for you.
We designed the program for people who want to control surgery-related pain without using opioids.
The Opioid-Free Pain Management Program is optional for people having surgery at UPMC Shadyside. You can change your mind and opt out of the program at any time.
Also, your pain management needs may change. Your care team can change your treatment plan to meet those needs.
Before surgery, our team will help you control factors that may make pain worse after surgery and slow your recovery.
These include:
Your care team may discuss methods like aromatherapy and relaxation techniques to help improve your comfort level.
When checking in at UPMC Shadyside, be sure to mention you do not want opioids – before, during, or after surgery.
Your care team should already know you're enrolled in the Opioid-Free Pain Management Program.
But reminding them will raise awareness for all those involved in your care, including:
The anesthesia care team will make sure you're comfortable and safe before going to the operating room and during surgery.
They may give you regional anesthesia (like nerve blocks) or local anesthesia (what the dentist uses when pulling a tooth).
Or they may give an IV with non-opioid:
Post-op, your care team will treat pain with medicines that do not have opioids in them, such as:
You can ask your care team about other ways to decrease pain without using medicines (*if available), such as:
If you have questions about our Opioid-Free Pain Management Program for Surgical Patients:
