Psychological Considerations in Perioperative Acute Pain Management

PsychologyPsychology and pain are closely intertwined and have bidirectional effects on one another. PsychologyPsychology affects the perception of painPain in both positive and negative ways at the same time that pain can reduce quality of life to a point of creating psychological disorder. This chapter reviews the interplay of psychologyPsychology and pain specifically in the perioperativePerioperative environment. There is significant evidence to suggest that a variety of psychological conditions predispose patients to worse acute painAcute pain, with the most research identifying anxietyAnxiety, depressionDepression and the thought process of catastrophizingCatastrophizing as riskRisks factors. Additionally, the treatment of acute pain in the perioperative periodPerioperative period relies on the appropriate management and treatment of patient psychologyPsychology by assessing riskRisks factors for pain as well as employing pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic forms of treatment. Overall, the treatment of acute perioperativePerioperative pain is a multidisciplinary endeavor with proper understanding and management of patient psychologyPsychology playing a significant role.