The Effect of an Individualized Education Intervention on Pain Following Inguinal Hernia Repair Surgery

Pain after inguinal hernia repair surgery is common with more than 50% of patients reporting moderate to severe acute pain following surgery. Analgesics are helpful in managing this pain but patients can be reluctant to take analgesics due to potential adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting or constipation. Patients may also be concerned about addiction to analgesics or they may believe that experiencing moderate to severe pain after surgery is to be expected. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of an individualized education program regarding pain and management of adverse effects on pain after inguinal hernia repair surgery.