ATI - Pain Management Flashcards
acute pain
transient discomfort or physical distress signaling actual or potential tissue damage and characterized by an identifiable cause, a short duration, resolution with healing,
addiction
referring to drug addiction: a dependence phenomenon characterized by impaired control over drug use, compulsive use, continued use despite harm, and craving
adjuvant analgesia
a drug primarily used to treat something other than pain but also enhances pain relief
alternative therapies
treatment approaches, used to replace conventional medical treatments, which are not currently considered part of conventional Western medicine
analgesia
inability to feel pain
analgesic
substance used as a pain reliever; a drug that acts to reduce pain, including over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin as well as those available by prescription only
analgesic ceiling
the dose of a particular drug beyond which additional amounts of the same drug do not increase the analgesic effect
breakthrough pain
a flaring of moderate to severe pain despite therapeutic doses of analgesics
chronic pain
a feeling of physical distress or discomfort that persists over a long period of time and does not always have an identifiable cause (greater than 6 months)
complimentary therapies
treatment approaches used to complement conventional medical treatments
dermatome
area of skin supplied with afferent nerve fibers from a single posterior spinal root
efficacy
the ability of a drug to achieve its desired effect
epidural anesthesia
medication injected via a catheter into the space between the dura mater and the lining of the spinal canal to create a regional nerve block; also called spinal anesthesia
nociceptor
a peripheral sensory receptor for pain, stimulated by various types of tissue injury
narcotic
an outdated umbrella term that has been used to refer to opioids, controlled substances, illicit drugs, central nervous system depressants, strong analgesics, and drugs capable of causing physical dependence; opioid is the preferred term for the family of potent pharmacologic analgesics commonly referred to as narcotics
neuropathic pain
a type of pain usually felt as burning or tingling and resulting from direct stimulation of nerve tissue of the peripheral or central nervous system
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)
any of a group of drugs that reduce pain, fever, and swelling (inflammation), including aspirin
opioid
one of a group of analgesics that act on higher centers of the brain and spinal cord to modify perceptions of moderate to severe pain
pain scale
assessment tool used to rate the severity of pain
pain threshold
the point at which a person feels pain