Chapter 46 Pain management Flashcards
Persistent pain contributes to
insomnia, weight gain or loss, constipation, hypertension, deconditioning, chronic stress and depression.
effective pain management ia an important aspect of nursing care to prootoe what?
Healing, prvent complications, reduce suffering and prevent the development of incurable pain states.
Pain may be described in terms of
Location, Duration, Intensity and etiology
Location
- may be complicated because some pain radiate(spread or extend) to other areas
- pain may also be referred(appear to arise in different areas) to other parts of the body;ie: cardiac pain may be felt in the shoulder or arm
- visceral pain(pain arising from organs or hollow viscera) is often perceived in an area remote from the organ causing the pain.
Duration- Acute Pain
when pain lasts only through the expected recovery period; whether it has a sudden or slow onset regardless of intensity
Duration-Chronic Pain
- also known as persistent pain
- prolonged usually recurring or lasting 3 months or longer
- interferes with functioning
Acute Pain responses(physical)
- SYMPATHETIC nervous system responses : Increased pulse rate increased respiratory rate elevated blood pressure diaphoresis dilated pupils -client may be restless/anxious -client reports pain client may exhibit behavior indicated of paincrying,rubbing area,holding area
Chronic Pain responses (physical)
-PARASYMPATHETIC responses:
vital signs normal
dry warm skin
pupils normal or dilated continues beyond healing
client is usually depressed and withdrawn
client often does not mention pain unless asked
pain behavior often absent
Cancer pain
-may result from the direct effects of the disease and its treatment or it may be unrelated
-maignant pain category
such as hiv/aids/burn pain
-treated more aggresively than non cancer pain
Intensity
-standard scale 0(no pain)-10(worst possible pain)
-1-3 Mild pain
-4-6 Moderate Pain
-7-10- Severe Pain
Mild, moderate or severe
Etiology
- Nociceptive Pain
- Neuropathic Pain
Etiology-Nociceptive Pain
- is experienced when an intact, properly functioning nervous system sends signals tht tissues are damaged requiring attention and proper care
ie: pain experienced following cut or broken bone tells you to avoid further damage until properly healed. pain then goes away when healed.
Nociceptive pain- Somatic Pain
-originates in the skin, muscles, bones or connective tissue ie: paper cut, sprained ankle common examples
Nociceptive pain-Visceral pain
- results from activation of pain receptors in the organs/hollow viscera
- characterized by cramping, throbbing,pressing or aching qualities
- also associated with feeling sick ie N/V, as in examples of labor pain, IBS
Neuropathic pain
is associated with damaged or malfunctioning nerves due to illness
- typically chronic
- described as a burning “electric shock”, tingling, dull and aching
- difficult to treat
Neuropathic Pain -Peripheral Neuropathic pain
- damage to sensitization of peripheral nerves (not brain or spine nerves)
- ie. phantom limb pain, carpal tunnel syndrome
Central Neuropathic pain
-spinal cord injury pain,post sstroke pain,multiple sclerosis, results from malfunctioning nerves in the central nervous system
Sympathetically maintained pain
- occurs occasionally when abnormal connections between pain fibers and the sympathetic nervous system perpetuate problems with both the pain and sympathetically controlled functions
- ie edea,temp, and blood flow regulation
Pain threshold
- the least amount of stimuli that is needed for a person to label a sensation as pain
- typically conducted in lab with diff stimuli
- vary between person to person, related to age, gender etc
Pain tolerance
- the maximum amount of painful stimuli that a person is willing to withstand without seeking avoidance of the pain or relief
hyperalgesia/ hyperpathia
heightened responses to painful stimuli ie. severe pain response to paper cut
allodynia
nonpainful stimuli that produces pain
ie: contact w/ linen, contact with light)
dysesthesia
an unpleasant abnormal sensation
Common Chronic Pain Syndromes
- post-herpetic neuralgia
- phantom pain(amputation )
- trigeminal neuralgia(5th cranial nerve pain)
- headache/migraine
- low back pain
- fibromyalgia-widespread muscle pain
intractable pain
a pain state for which there is no cure possible even after treatment
sensitization
an increased sensitivity of a receptor after repeated activation by noxious stimuli
windup
progressive increase in excitability and sensitivity of spinal cord neurons, leading to persistent, increased pain
nociception
the physiological process related to pain perception
4 processes involved in nociception
- transduction
- transmission
- perception
- modulation
Types of Painful Stimuli-Transduction
MECHANICAL
* trauma to body tissues - tissue damage, direct irritation of pain receptors, inflammation
* alterations in body tissues - pressure on pain receptors
* blockage of a body duct - distention of the lumen of the duct
* tumor - pressure on pain receptors, irritation of nerve endings
* muscle spasm - stimulation of pain receptors
THERMAL
* extreme heat or cold - tissue destruction; stimulation of thermosensitive pain receptors
CHEMICAL
* tissue ischemia - stimulation of pain receptors because of accumulated lactic acid and other chemicals and enzymes in tissues
* muscle spasm - tissue ischemia secondary to mechanical stimulation
nociceptors
specialized pain receptors
transduction
nociceptors are excited by stimuli
transmission
- pain impulses travel from the peripheral nerve fibers to the spinal cord
- spinal cord ascending via spinothalamic tracts
- transmission of signals between the thalamus to the somatic sensory cortex where pain perception occurs