Pain Management
Pain can at times be debilitating. Many with hemophilia experience pain due to their condition, so part of living with a bleeding disorder is finding ways to better manage pain, whether at it’s source if due to a bleed or ongoing symptoms. Acute, short-term pain may be felt in a joint or muscle at the onset of a bleed, and may worsen if treatment is not readily available. At the first sign of acute pain, clotting factor is recommended.
Long-term pain is defined as chronic. It can be caused by repeated joint damage and prevails more in older adults. Preventive measures can help stop symptoms from worsening over the years, so good management of acute pain is key.
For those with a bleeding disorder, pain as a result of a bleeding episode can result in acute and/or chronic pain issues. This information provides resources about many pain related issues in the form of presentations (recorded webinars, videos), downloads (articles, documents) and links to other resources.
Recent news regarding pain management:
What Happens to Joints After Frequent Bleeds?
Source: National Hemophilia Foundation, 2023
Bleeding Disorders: What Your Pain Is Trying to Tell You
Source: National Hemophilia Foundation, 2023
Source: National Hemophilia Foundation, HemaWare, 2023
Source: National Hemophilia Foundation, HemaWare, 2023
What You Should Know About Hematomas
Source: National Hemophilia Foundation, HemaWare, 2023
How to Treat Bruises That Come With Bleeding Disorders
Source: National Hemophilia Foundation, HemaWare, 2023
What You Need to Know About Marijuana and CBD for Chronic Pain
Source: National Hemophilia Foundation, HemaWare, 2023
Other Resources from the National Hemophilia Foundation’s HemaWare magazine specifically related to pain management include: What Happens to Joints After Frequent Bleeds; What Older People with Bleeding Disorders Need to Know About Osteoporosis; What You Should Know About Ministrokes; Four Reasons to Establish Care at a Hemophilia Treatment Center; Decoding Dizziness; How to Make Your Home Office More Ergonomic; What Women with Bleeding Disorders Need to Know About Joint Problems; and Four Ways to Relieve Arthritis in Winter.
Presentations and Downloads:
Pain Management and Opioid Dependency (webinar)
Young Adults Hangout: Creative Strategies for Coping with Pain
National Hemophilia Foundation, Hemaware Pain Management
Source: National Hemophilia Foundation
Other Resources:
The Academy of Pain Medicine – Patient Center
Managing Pain Before it Manages You by Margaret Caudill
Pain Management in Hemophilia: Expert Recommendations
Source: Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA).
Assessment and Management of Pain in Hemophilia Patients
Source: World Federation of Hemophilia
Chronic Pain in Patients with Hemophilia: A Clinical Assessment and Treatment Primer
Source: Practical Pain Management
Source: The Haemophilia Society
Medicare and Pain Management: An Easy-to-Understand Guide
Which pain management treatments for complex health conditions are covered by Medicare? Take a look.
Source: RetireGuide, LLC
Communicating with your Provider About Pain
Many people with bleeding disorders find that bleeding-related pain and joint damage impact their quality of life, according to patients and caregivers surveyed in the Hemophilia Experiences, Results and Opportunities (HERO) study conducted by Novo Nordisk. This session will improve understanding of how pain affects people with bleeding disorders, and will offer guidelines for managing acute and chronic pain. It will also provide resources for communicating with your provider to ensure that pain associated with bleeding and joint damage is addressed appropriately. Learn more. Source: National Hemophilia Foundation
Navigating Pain
Many people with bleeding disorders find that bleeding-related pain and joint damage impact their quality of life. This session will improve understanding of how pain affects people with bleeding disorders and approaches for managing pain. It will also provide resources for communicating with your provider to ensure that pain associated with bleeding and joint damage is addressed appropriately. Learn more. Source: National Hemophilia Foundation
Pain Management: Tool Box Not a Pill Box
The session discusses pain related to bleeding disorders in the developmental stages and how infants, children and adolescents with bleeding episodes experience, express and cope with pain. It will review the latest research on management and assessment of pain in children and provide guidance on pain education for families and caregivers. Treatment and intervention strategies for physical therapists will be reviewed and followed by a group discussion. Learn more. Source: National Hemophilia Foundation
MASAC Document 260
Management of Chronic Pain in Persons with Bleeding Disorders: Guidance for Practical Application of The Centers for Disease Control’s Opioid Prescribing Guidelines. Read more. Source: National Hemophilia Foundation
Center for Disease Control (CDC): These resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention addresses prescription opioid use and communication between patient and provider.
Promoting Safer and More Effective Pain Management
Safer, More Effective Pain Management
Arthritis Foundation:
Leading the fight for the arthritis community, the Arthritis Foundation helps conquer everyday battles through life-changing information and resources, access to optimal care, advancements in science and community connections.
Arthritis Pain Management: This comprehensive list of resources addresses a plethora of concerns related to pain associated with arthritis.
Treating Pain with Medical Marijuana: This article from the Arthritis Foundation addresses the use of medical marijuana for arthritis and it’s potential benefits and cautions.
*HFA strongly encourages patients and caregivers to consult with their healthcare provider and follow all appropriate laws and regulations regarding medical marijuana in the state in which you reside.