Self-reported pain relief interventions of patients before emergency department arrival

•Pain is the most common reason for visiting the Emergency Department.•Of the patients surveyed, 62.7% had used pain intervention before ED arrival.•Self-medication use rate was 30.1% before ED arrival.•Alternative therapy use rate was 21.3% before ED arrival. Pain is the most common reason for visiting the Emergency Department (ED), and pain management is an important aspect of emergency care. Pain management might begin before emergency department arrival, by a patient's self-administered medications or alternative therapies. This study aimed to determine Turkish patients' self-reported pain relief interventions before ED arrival. A prospective questionnaire survey was used for the study. A total of 150 adult ED patients from a teaching hospital ED in a two month period constituted the sample of the study. Of the patients surveyed, 62.7% had used medication and/or alternative therapies. Medication use was 30.1%, alternative therapy use was 21.3%, and use of both medication and alternative therapies before ED arrival was 11.3%. The rate of self-administered intervention for pain relief before ED arrival was high. ED nurses have to take these interventions into account while performing pain assessment. The information may help to achieve better pain management in the ED.