Assessment of pain Flashcards
Does the amount of tissue damage determine pain intensity
no
does giving analgesics regularly start drug dependence
Sometimes
what are the two scales in which we assess pain
Uni-dimensional pain assessment scales
What is the RAT system for pain analysis
Recognise (does patient /other pool know the patient has pain?)
Assess (how severe, what type of pain? cancer/non cancer? nociceptive or neuropathic? are there other factors such as physical or psychological)
Treat (what pharmacological or non pharmacological treatments to use?)
How to measure pain history
Precipitating/alleviating factors(what causes, aggravates it? does medication help?)
Quality of pain (what pain feels like)
Radiation
Severity- use numeric or descriptive scale
Timing- Is pain constant or intermittent? when did it begin and does it pulsate or have a rhythm?
What does the uni-dimensional pain assessment scales show and assess?
How do you assess
Only assess pain intensity
Useful for acute pain
Need to assess during movement and rest (especially coughing)
What are the types of uni-dimensional pain assessment scales
Visual analogue scale (no pain- worst pain imaginable)
Numerical rating scale (1-10)
verbal rating scale (none, mild moderate, severe)
How do you assess pain in dementia patients
Facial expression verbalisations Body movements Changes in interpersonal interactions Changes inactivity patterns or routines mental status changes
What does the brief pain inventory assess
pain severity and degree of interference with function using numerical rating scale
e.g. general activity walking normal work relationships with others mood sleep enjoyment of life
What does the Mcgill pain questionnaire assess
pain quality and characteristics
- Sensory
- Affective
- Evaluative
What do patients want from analgesics
At least 50% pain reduction
No worse than mild pain
Relief from related problems such as sleep disturbance and improved mood
