Guided Imagery and Other Complementary Pain Control Approaches for Critical Care Patients

For centuries, pharmacologic interventions have been the primary intervention for pain in intensive care patients. Opioid use has significant side effects and long-term risks including addiction and loss of life. Critical care nurses and other health care professionals can include effective nonpharmacological complementary modalities to reduce pain. Approaches discussed include guided imagery, acupuncture, music and sound therapy, cold therapy, massage, and physical and occupational therapy. Evidence-based research that examined the efficacy of these complementary methods found significant reduction in pain, trauma, length of stay, or post-intensive care syndrome in critical care patients.