Pain Flashcards
what determines the intensity and duration of acute pain?
stimulus
what receptors are affected for acute pain?
localized afferents
what is the function of acute pain?
detect tissue damage or impending damage; initiate avoidance reaction
what is chronic pain?
persistence of pain often in the absence of obvious stimulus
what are the cause and mechanisms of chronic pain?
largely unknown making it difficult to treat
what is an example of referred pain?
angina (poorly perfused heart muscle)
how many neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord are specialized for transmission of visceral pain?
very few
what is the disorder of of an internal organ sometimes perceived as?
cutaneous pain
what are mechano-nociceptors for?
intense force
what are thermo nociceptors for?
distinct from thermoreceptors
what are types of chemo nociceptors?
bradykinin
histamine
H+
ATP
Prostaglandins
what are non-specific nociceptors?
respond to more than one stimulus type
what is an example of a non specific nociceptor?
polymodal nociceptors - force, temp, chemicals
what does the perception of pain depend on?
specifically dedicated receptors and pathways
how are free nerve endings different than mechanoreceptors?
1: specialized for damaging stimulation
2:information travels much slower
3: localization is relatively poor
4: repeated or prolonged stimulus often leads to a stronger response (sensitization) rather than adaptation
