Clinical Aspects of Pain Flashcards
How is pain described in terms of its nature and perception?
Pain is normal, personal, and always real. It is a response to a situation judged by the brain to be threatening and usually prompts a change in behavior. Only the individual can determine if they are in pain.
What is the purpose of pain according to clinical implications?
Pain serves as a usually useful but unpleasant response to prompt a change in behavior when the brain perceives a threat.
How does learning about pain benefit individuals and society?
Learning about pain is therapeutic. Understanding why one hurts can reduce pain, and knowledge about pain can be liberating for individuals and beneficial for society.
Why is knowledge about pain considered a powerful tool?
Knowledge is the greatest pain liberator, as understanding the cause of pain can significantly reduce it and help individuals feel less isolated in their experience.
How should practitioners approach explaining pain to patients?
Practitioners should convey complex bodily dysfunctions in simple, digestible terms to improve patient understanding. Clear explanations lead to better outcomes, as unexplained pain is the hardest to bear.
Why is unexplained pain considered particularly difficult for patients?
Unexplained pain is especially challenging because not understanding the cause can increase distress and negatively impact recovery outcomes.
Why might you have chronic low back pain from a past minor injury?
After an injury, your body becomes extra alert to that area, turning up the “alarm system” in your low back to stay aware of any issues there.
Can pain continue even after tissue has healed?
Yes, your body can keep the “alarm” turned up if the brain is still cautious about that area.
How can tight muscles cause chronic headaches?
Tight neck and shoulder muscles, like those attached to your skull, can refer pain and cause headaches.
What is the pain gate theory?
The body has ways to block pain signals. For example, touching a painful spot can release hormones that help “close the gate” on pain signals going to the brain.
What is happening with an L4/L5 disc herniation?
The spine has discs like jelly donuts between the bones. With a disc herniation, some “jelly” can press out, causing pain.
Does the amount of pain always relate to the extent of an injury?
No, pain can be intense without injury, and severe injuries can sometimes be pain-free. Understanding this can help manage pain.
Are there pain sensors in the body?
No, our bodies have danger sensors, not pain sensors. Pain is produced by the brain and considers more than just signals from danger sensors.
How is pain influenced by context?
Pain is affected by what we see, hear, smell, touch, think, believe, and by people and places around us. It’s a complex, conscious experience.
What can reduce the brain’s production of pain?
Credible evidence of safety can turn pain down. Both danger and safety cues, even subtle ones, influence pain.
What are some protective outputs the body uses?
Besides pain, our body uses responses like immune reactions, movement, breathing, and feelings such as stiffness, fear, and fatigue to protect us.
What does bioplasticity mean in relation to pain?
Bioplasticity means our protective systems, including pain, can adapt and change back, showing that pain responses can be adjusted over time.
What are some active strategies for managing pain?
Learning about pain allows us to explore movement, improve fitness, sleep, reduce danger cues, increase safety cues, and regain control.
What should you do if current pain treatments aren’t working?
There’s no shame in reevaluating treatments based on new pain knowledge; remember, the brain can produce its own powerful pain relief.
Where is the best place to treat persistent pain?
It’s best managed within your own environment. Seek support from pain champions in your community to help with recovery.
If manual therapy doesn’t “fix” tissue, what is its purpose in treating chronic pain?
Manual therapy affects the nervous system and can modulate pain perception through various neurological mechanisms, aiding in chronic pain management.
How does manual therapy use Gate Control Theory to reduce pain?
Techniques like massage activate large-diameter sensory fibers (A-beta fibers) that engage inhibitory neurons in the spinal cord, blocking pain signals from A-delta and C fibers and reducing pain perception.
How does manual therapy stimulate endogenous pain relief?
It promotes the release of natural opioids (endorphins, enkephalins) in the brain and spinal cord, which inhibit pain signals and produce analgesic effects.
How does manual therapy help with central sensitization in chronic pain?
It modulates neuron excitability in the central nervous system, helping reduce amplified pain signals and restoring normal sensory processing.
