A client recovering from hip surgery does not want to go to physical therapy because of fear of pain.Prior to starting therapy the client rated pain as 1 on a scale of 0 to 10.A few minutes into the session the client reports pain as a 10.What should the nurse consider this client is experiencing?

A) Phantom limb pain
B) Ineffective pain medication
C) A nocebo effect
D) A complication from the surgery

Question

Michael Roman · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : C, Explanation :  The sudden increase in pain shortly after starting therapy despite having rated pain as 1 beforehand suggests that the client may be experiencing the nocebo effect. This occurs when a person experiences negative symptoms (in this case, increased pain) after expecting them to occur, even if there is no real physiological reason for the increase. It is possible that the client's fear of pain and reluctance to participate in therapy may have heightened their sensitivity to pain, leading to the reported increase in intensity. The nurse should address the client's fear and provide education and support to minimize the nocebo effect and encourage active participation in therapy.

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