Chapter 9: Pain

Question 1

nociception

Answer 1

technical name for pain, the activation of specialized nerve fibers that signal the occurrence of tissue damage

Question 2

acute

Answer 2

short term

Question 3

chronic

Answer 3

long term

Question 4

psychogenic pain

Answer 4

purely psychological pain without a physiological pain

Question 5

neuropathic pain

Answer 5

pure nociception without significant psychological pain

Question 6

somatic pain

Answer 6

physiological pain without specific tissue damage

Question 7

afferent fibers

Answer 7

sensory nerve fibers transmitting signals from the receptors to the spinal cord

Question 8

diathesis-stress model

Answer 8

idea that some individuals may have some physiological predispositions to certain factor such as depression, stress or pain that interact with psychosocial factors to cause those outcomes

Question 9

counterirritation

Answer 9

process by which we may try to reduce pain by itching or poking a point on our skin around where the pain is felt

Question 10

efferent pathways

Answer 10

sensory nerve fibers transmitting signals from the spinal cord to receptors in the skin and tissues

Question 11

stimulation-produced analgesia

Answer 11

process by which electrically stimulating the brain can reduce pain

Question 12

thresholds

Answer 12

level of stimuli needed to experience something such as pain or stress

Question 13

tolerance

Answer 13

amount beyond which pain becomes unbearable and intolerable

Question 14

acetaminophen (Tylenol)

Answer 14

a simple over the counter pain killer

Question 15

virtual reality

Answer 15

a pain control technique whereby the patient is distracted enough to experience alleviation from pain and discomfort

Question 16

self-management programs

Answer 16

treatment for pain relief that make the patient with chronic pain the one with the major responsibility for making the change rather than the doctor or the health professional staff

Question 17

numeric rating scale (NRS)

Answer 17

a scale of measuring pain where patients are ask to rate their pain on a scale of 1 to 10

Question 18

verbal rating scale (VRS)

Answer 18

pain measurement scale with 4 to 15 adjectives arranged in a row describing the pain; patient must choose the most relevant one

Question 19

visual analogy scale (VAS)

Answer 19

a 10 cm long line represents the scale, patients are asked to mark where their pain is