When Maximum Pain Control of Chronic Non- Malignant Condition Fails: Is There Anything Else To Do?

When patients are tethered with uncontrolled pain, health care practitioners usually resort to several modes of symptomatic relief for their patients. In palliative care the goal is identifying and managing the cause of pain in addition to addressing associated problems. To administer effective symptom control in patient with chronic non-cancer associated pain, healthcare professionals may need to consider alternative non-pharmacological modes of treatment such as psychological intervention. Pain perception can be influenced by non-organic factors such as emotional, psychosocial status of the patient and their religious and spiritual beliefs. Taking these factors into consideration are an essential part of treatment goals. The paper illustrates an ethical dilemma which has arisen in the aggressive management of pain and highlights the importance of multi-disciplinary involvement in patient care. Failure to consider these aspects of care can cause patient and parental anxiety, poor symptom control and could compromise doctor-patient relationship.