Managing Pain Before and After Surgery

The Managing Pain Before and After Surgery course is a free, self-paced online program designed to help people undergoing surgery and their families effectively manage pain and reduce post-surgery complications. Research shows that understanding pain management before surgery helps set realistic expectations, promotes safe use of prescribed medications, and enhances overall well-being and comfort.

The brief course is made up of three modules to help you prepare for surgery, manage pain after surgery, and build a specialized plan if you have chronic pain prior to surgery.  

Module one: Preparing for surgery

Learn what to expect at your pre-surgical health care appointments, what to know before surgery, and on the day of your surgery, as well surgery recovery tips for faster healing.  

Module two: Pain after surgery

Learn what to expect after surgery and tips for managing pain after surgery through effective communication with your health care providers, safe use of prescribed medications, and effective use of non-medication pain management strategies.  

Module three: For people experiencing chronic pain prior to surgery

Learn more about preparing for surgery with chronic pain, and strategies for minimizing its impact on your post-surgery recovery.

Give yourself and your loved ones the best chance for a smoother recovery. Sign up free today and start feeling more confident about your surgery and recovery!    

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Manage your pain before and after surgery with support from the Manage My Pain app

Pain Canada has partnered with ManagingLife to provide access to all the features of the Manage My Pain app.

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About the Manage My Pain app

The Manage My Pain app helps you track your pain, understand patterns, and discover simple ways to better manage your day-to-day life. Within the app, you will also get access to the “Managing Pain Before and After Surgery” course.

If you’d like to use the app alongside the course, click below to get started:

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Pain Canada also has a pre-surgical pain course for health care providers

In addition to this course for people awaiting surgery, we also offer a concise, evidence-based course to support health care providers to build skills and knowledge about pain in the peri-operative context. Chronic Pain Insights is a free online course that covers clinically relevant strategies for managing pain before and after surgery, with an emphasis on self- management strategies patients can use before and after surgery. Learn more.

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Subject matter experts

Dora (Thea) Wang. HBSc Candidate, University of Toronto. Patient Partner, Patient Voices Network

Anna Lomanowska, PhD. Scientific Associate. Transitional Pain Service, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network

Alyssa Hodgson MA, MD, FRCPC (Anesthesiology). Clinical Instructor, UBC Faculty of Medicine

Hance Clarke MD PhD. Director, Transitional Pain Service, Toronto General Hospital. Staff Anesthesiologist, UHN. President, Canadian Pain Society

Tania Di Renna MD, FRCPC. Medical Director, Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute. Associate Professor, University of Toronto Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine. President elect, Canadian Pain Society

PJ Matras, RN, MN, Clinical Nurse Specialist Pain Management, PHC

Brenda Poulton RN, MN, (retired NP), Co-Director BC Adaptive Mentorship Network, FH Clinical Lead RAC for Low Back Pain Pilot

Robert Beringer DSocSci, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health and Social Policy, Faculty of Human and Social Development; University of Victoria. Research Fellow, Institute on Aging and Lifelong Health

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