Reply to these two discussion post . They are two different responses
Student # 1
Expression of Pain, Case 68, Page 68
This subheading illustrates various ways of how pain is expressed through individual points, cultural influences, and other factors.
Case 68 describes a nurse working in the emergency department of a large medical center in charge of identifying people who are seriously ill in the waiting area. After taking a course on cultural diversity, she began to realize that different cultures may have different expressions of pain. She discovered that a Chinese woman might react more calmly to abdominal pain and more serious acute conditions than a Mexican patient with abdominal pain who might be yelling and then laughing with his family the next moment.
This case shows that the way pain is expressed can be affected by various factors. Moreover, people from different cultures may deal with pain differently. However, the primary job of a dental hygienist is to recognize a patient’s discomfort and pain. Furthermore, as oral healthcare providers, dental hygienists need to be able to identify a patient’s level of discomfort and provide adequate treatment. Oral healthcare providers should always be aware that people from different backgrounds have different ways of expressing pain.
student # 2 discussion post
Pain Medication: Requesting Pain Medication, Case 71, pg.69
In the subheading “Requesting Pain Medication,” Galanti discusses the differences in how pain is expressed across cultures, which is intertwined with healthcare. Nigerian farmer, Osito Seisay, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in the United States after a bull injured him. To the surprise of his nurse, he never asked for pain medication. When Mr. Seisay’s sister visited, she shared that Mr. Seisay was Muslim and endured the pain “as an offering to Allah in thanks for the good fortune of being allowed such specialized surgery.”¹ Some cultures value stoicism in the face of pain over vocalizing their discomfort. This can be a challenge for healthcare providers, who rely on verbal cues to determine pain levels.
In dentistry, we prioritize patient comfort, and these cultural differences impact our care. Patients may not vocalize their need for pain medication due to cultural norms. To address this in the dental setting, we can offer topical anesthetic for areas with gingival recession or sensitivity. Also, using topical anesthetic before the injection of local anesthetic eases the sting of a needle. Moreover, we need to be observant and look for subtle signs of pain, such as facial expressions or body language, during procedures.
Acknowledging cultural attitudes toward pain allows me to adapt the way I provide care to align with the preferences and needs of my patients. By understanding the cultural variations in expressing pain, I aim to create a more culturally sensitive environment in the dental clinic where patients feel they are being understood and cared for.
