Understanding and Managing Burn Pain

In Brief Despite advances in treatment of burn injuries and their consequent pain, wound care is the main source of the pain associated with burn injury. This two-part article explores burn pain and its treatment from a nursing perspective. Last month, Part 1 provided an overview of burn injury and addressed the wound care–related causes of burn pain, as well as its assessment and treatment. Part 2, presented here, provides a more in-depth discussion of pain management; topical medications and the psychological aspects of burn pain are also discussed. Part 2 of a two-part article explores the treatment of burn pain and burn trauma, including drug therapy, relaxation and other adjunctive therapies, topical treatment, and psychological counseling.