pain

Question 1

pain

Answer 1

“An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated
with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of
such damage”

Question 2

Pain is the result

Answer 2

of complex brain processes, which are
influenced by overlapping physical (nociceptive and
neuropathic), psychological, and environmental factors

Question 3

All pain is individual

Answer 3

and is subjective and can only be

appreciated by the person experiencing the pain.

Question 4

Pain mechanism

Answer 4

1. Noxious stimulus is converted (transducted) into
   electrical energy that, when it reaches a threshold
   value, generates an action potential and allows for the
   conscious awareness of pain.
2. Sensory and nociceptive (A
   -delta and C fibres) fibres
   relay action potentials towards the spinal cord through
   the dorsal horn of the spinal cord(transmission)
3. Signals travel through the brainstem and synapse on
   neurons in the thalamus (brains relay centre) before
   reaching the cerebral cortex of the cerebrum.
4. Modulation involves activation of descending
   pathways that may inhibit or facilitate the transmission
   of pain

Question 5

• Nociception

Answer 5

is the physiological process by which painful

stimulus is detected and relayed towards the CNS.

Question 6

• Nociceptive pain:

Answer 6

most common type of pain. Produced by nociceptive
stimuli, which cause or have the potential to cause peripheral tissue
damage.

Question 7

types of Nociceptive pain:

Answer 7

External damage –

• Internal damage –

Question 8

External damage

Answer 8

most common form of nociceptive pain. Usually involves trauma
to the skin but may extend to underlying tissue.

Question 9

Internal damage

Answer 9

less common and usually more severe than that associated with
external damage. Numerous causes, severe trauma (i.e bone fracture, surgery)

Question 10

• Neuropathic pain: i

Answer 10

injury or disease of the nervous system. Complex
aetiology and lack of knowledge of the underlying mechanisms make
treatment challenging

Question 11

Psychogenic pain

Answer 11

pain that may be severe and persistent for which there

appears to be no underlying pathology.

Question 12

Types of pain

Answer 12

Acute pain:
• Sub-acute pain
• Recurrent pain
• Chronic pain:

Question 13

Acute pain:

Answer 13

is pain that lasts for a short time and occurs
following surgery, trauma or other condition. It acts as a
warning that the body to seeks to help

Question 14

• Sub-acute pain:

Answer 14

: is pain that is progressing towards
chronic pain, but this progression may be prevented. This
is known as the transition phase

Question 15

• Recurrent pain

Answer 15

: is pain that occurs on a cyclical basis,

such as migraine or pelvic pain

Question 16

• Chronic pain:

Answer 16

is pain that lasts beyond the time expected
for healing following surgery or trauma or other
condition. It is often associated with an increased pain
experience, not just in the area of injury, but also in
surrounding tissue or nerves. It can also exist without a
clear reason at all.