Health - 5 Flashcards
Why is pain good for us
Helps to regulate activities, provides low level feedback to let us know when to make adjustments
When it becomes to intense leads us to seek treatment
What is the direction of acute pain
0-6months
What are the two types of chronic pain
Benign- similar intensity
Progressive - worsens with time
What are the subcategories the nature of a pain can be spilt into
Severity
Type
Pattern
Why is pain difficult to measure
As it is a subjective experience
What hat can we use to ask about pain
Questionarres and diaries help us identify pain levels
How can we measure pain in a lab
Create induced pain like a cold press or and then measure response
What is the specificity theory of pain
Descending pathway
Pain is detected by the pain sensory which transmits info via affect why nerves to brain for processing
What is the pattern theory of pain
Descending pathway
Pain is perceived but only when neural stimulation exceeds a threshold
What are the limitations of the specificity and pattern theories
Pain but no receptors
Receptors but no pain
Psychological factors
What is phantom limbs pain
Experiencing pain in the absence of pain receptors
Pain in leg when it had been amputated
What is episodic analgesia
Pain perception fails to occur immediately post injury
What are 2 possible reasons for episodic analgesia
Distraction
Physiological arousal - diminished pain sensitivity
What was James et al experiment 2002
Asked people to focus on pain vs computer take while sticking hand in freezing water
People distracted on computer task could keep there hand in freezing water for longer
What did beecher et al observe In 1959
Observed requests for pain relief from soldiers and civilians during ww2
Requests for pain relief for comparable injuries were 55% greater in civilians
