6 Burn pain

Abstract

Pain following a burn is unpredictable, can be severe and may persist even after the burn has healed. Burn pain can be divided into the pain associated with procedures and continual background pain. Opioid analgesics and general anaesthesia are the main therapies for severe pain, but a variety of other drugs including analgesics, local anaesthetics, anti-depressants and anxiolytics also have a role. Psychological morbidity is increased when the pain is severe and a variety of methods may be used to reduce this, Reducing mortality and functional impairment is the aim of current burn management, but the relief of pain and suffering must receive equal attention.