![]() But after performing a procedure many times, clinicians should have a reasonable sense of the range of reactions patients typically have. For instance, one study found that physicians assess IUD insertion to be about half as painful as patients report it to be. In some cases, clinicians may not know how painful a procedure is. Third, if clinicians believe a procedure is in a patient’s best interest, they may downplay the pain associated with it to increase a patient’s likelihood of giving consent. Second, clinicians may understate pain to alleviate patients’ anxiety or reduce the pain they experience. First, clinicians may not know how much a procedure hurts. There are likely several reasons why physicians downplay pain. Clinicians’ language thus paints a picture of pain that is less severe than that which many patients experience – and this is not unique to IUD placement - often, clinicians refer to pain as “pressure” or call a painful procedure “uncomfortable.” Clinicians typically describe the pain associated with IUD insertion as “ uncomfortable… but short lived” or “ three quick cramps.” But patients who have undergone IUD insertion have described it as “ on a cosmic level,” “ such blinding agony I could barely see,” and “ like someone shocking my cervix with a taser.”Īlthough some patients experience little pain with IUD insertion, most patients experience moderate to severe pain. IUDs are one of the most effective forms of birth control, and tens of millions of women have them placed every year. Intrauterine device (IUD) placement offers an instructive case study, and highlights the need for transparency in describing painful medical procedures. Clinicians across medical settings commonly euphemize or understate pain - a practice that has concerning implications for patient trust, consent, and care quality.
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