Safe Pain Management: Opioid Abuse and Surgery

For Patients

Common Questions, Important Answers

Learn how to:

Use alternatives to opioids for mild and moderate pain,
Safely use opioids for severe pain,
Safely store and dispose of leftover opioids,
Recognize the signs of opioid dependence and misuse.

View Questions

Pain Management After Surgery for Women

View our brochure on safe and effective pain control after surgery for women.

My Pain Plan

Keep track of your pain and medications before and after surgery with our interactive pain plan management tool.

How to Safely and Effectively Manage Pain

Watch our short video to learn how to safely manage your pain at home following surgery.

Take Survey

Your feedback is important and helps us to produce materials that you need. We ask that you complete a patient evaluation survey 4-5 days after your surgery about your pain management experiences.

Safe Opioid Use in Surgery: A Team-Based Approach

The ACS is partnering with HCSC, a subsidiary of BCBS, to provide education on patient outcomes in pain management following musculoskeletal surgery.

Additional Resources

(Please note that by clicking on the links below, you will be leaving the American College of Surgeons website to view content on external websites.)

Disposal of Unused Medicines: What You Should Know

Opioid Risk Tool (screening form to assess risk of misuse)

Help and Treatment with Opioid Misuse or Abuse (addiction or dependence)

National Institute of Drug Abuse Opioids Resource Page

CDC's Opioids for Acute Pain. What You Need to Know

Open for Patients - University of Michigan

Anesthesia in Surgery – What to Expect

Pain Resources - National Library of Medicine

Pain and Stress in the Neonate – Prevention and Management (AAP Policy)

Pediatric Anesthesia

Brochure References

How Surgeons Are Addressing the Opioid Epidemic

Surgeons and all physicians are now screening their patients prior to opioid administration using the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. Alternatives to opioids are being used and the amount and dose of opioid pills prescribed to patients is lower when appropriate. Numerous studies are underway monitoring the number of pills used by patients and their pain scores to better match pain control options for specific operations and avoid any excess opioid use (Hill MV, et al. 2018; Howard R, et al. 2018).

Professional Resources for Surgeons

We have educational programs, professional resources, research news, even opportunities to get involved—all in an effort to promote safe pain control post-surgery.

See What’s Available

Our Opioid Task Force

Meet the professionals dedicated to safe and effective pain control.

Our Taskforce

Disclaimer: This information is published to educate you about preparing for your surgical procedures. It is not intended to take the place of a discussion with a qualified surgeon who is familiar with your situation. It is important to remember that each individual is different, and the reasons and outcomes of any operation depend upon the patient’s individual condition.

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization that is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery; it was founded to raise the standards of surgical practice and to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient. The ACS has endeavored to present information for prospective surgical patients based on current scientific information; there is no warranty on the timeliness, accuracy, or usefulness of this content.

How to Safely Manage Pain After Surgery

The Best Recovery Is a Safe Recovery