Differences in Pain Patterns for Infected and Noninfected Patients with Burn Injuries

Tengvall, Oili M.; Björnhagen, Viveca C.; Lindholm, Christina; Jonsson, Carl-Evert; Wengström, Yvonne

doi:10.1016/j.pmn.2006.09.002

« Previous Next »Pain Management Nursing
Volume 7, Issue 4 , Pages 176-182, December 2006

Differences in Pain Patterns for Infected and Noninfected Patients with Burn Injuries

Oili M. Tengvall, RN, CCN, BNSc
- Burn Unit, Institution of Surgical Sciences, Department of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, Sections for Nursing Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to Oili Tengvall, RN, CCN, BNSc, Burn Unit, Department of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76 Solna, Sweden.
Viveca C. Björnhagen, MD, PhD
- Burn Unit, Institution of Surgical Sciences, Department of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, Sections for Nursing Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Christina Lindholm, RN, PhD
- Institution of Surgical Sciences, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden/Kristianstad University.
Carl-Evert Jonsson, MD, PhD
- Burn Unit, Institution of Surgical Sciences, Department of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, Sections for Nursing Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Yvonne Wengström, OCN, PhD
- Department of Neurobiology, Carin Science and Society, Sections for Nursing Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract

The management of pain is a primary issue in burn care. Patients hospitalized for burn injuries experience severe pain on a daily basis, immediately after the injury and during the healing of the burn wound. Our clinical experience is that the intensity of pain is increased by wound infection. The purpose of this study was to investigate retrospectively whether patients experience increased pain intensity in conjunction with wound infection. A total of 165 patients with burn injuries were included, 60 of whom were diagnosed with infection. The results of this study showed a significant increase in pain intensity in association with infection. An increase in pain is one of the factors to be considered among the many assessments, tests, and treatments for patients with burn injuries.