The Resus Room19 Jun 2025

Pain; Roadside to Resus

It's something we all encounter in emergency and prehospital care, probably more than anything else, yet it's a topic we've not given a full episode to… until now!

Up to 70% of prehospital patients and 60–90% of ED attendees report pain, with half of all ED presentations having pain as the primary complaint. That's millions of patients across Europe every year and we're not always optimising our approach!

In this episode, we're diving deep into acute pain management; from understanding the complex biopsychosocial definition of pain, right through to tailored pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies, plus everything in between.

We'll be looking at how we define and assess pain and the importance of validating patient experience. Then we'll work through management options: from paracetamol to ketamine, NSAIDs to regional anaesthesia, and talk through barriers like bias, opiophobia, and the persistent inequalities in analgesic delivery.

We'll also shine a light on special groups; from paediatrics to chronic pain patients and those with opioid use concerns, finishing with key takeaways on safe discharge planning.

This one's about being better at recognising, respecting, and relieving pain. Because pain is an emergency, and we've got the tools to do something about it.

Once again we'd love to hear any thoughts or feedback either on the website or via X @TheResusRoom!

Simon, Rob & James

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