pain Flashcards
what is pain
body’s defense mechanism–warning of a problem
what is pain caused by
stimulation of pain receptors
causes of pain ?
infection, tissue necrosis, stretching of tissue, tendons, ligaments, joint capsule, spasms
what is nociceptive pain
body or internal organs
what is neuropathic pain
nerves or CNS
what is acute pain
short term
what is chronic pain
3+ months
central pain
dysfunction/ damage to brain or spinal cord
neuropathic pain
trauma/disease w/ peripheral nerves
ischemic pain
profound/sudden loss of blow flow to organ or tissue
cancer related pain
associated with treatment
what are nociceptors
pain receptors, free sensory nerve endings
how can nociceptors be stimularted
temperature, chemicals, physical means
what is the pain threshold
level of stimulation required to elicit pain response–depends on person
what is pain tolerance
the ability to cope w/ pain, cultural related, varies
what are some symptoms of pain
restlessness and guarding
what is a TENS unit
goes on back, increases sensory stimulation and blocks pain transmission
what is referred pain
pain perceived at site distant from source
example of referred pain
heart attack or ischemia in heart
what is phantom pain
follows amputation, feels like the limb is still there
symptoms of phantom pain
pain, itching, tingling
does phantom pain respond to common pain therapies
no
important thing about pain perception
subjective, compared from day to day in same person
what is acute pain
sudden, severe, short term, tissue damage
does acute pain initiate physiologic stress response
yes
what happens to the vital signs in acute pain
increase BP, RR, HR, and skeletal muscle tension, cool, pale, moist skin
what is chronic pain
extended time, difficult to treat, generalized, affects ADL’s
What might be required for chronic pain
accommodation and pacing o activities
what can emotional stress cause
headaches, muscle spasm and tension
what is the biggest method of managing pain
remove cause of pain
what kind of drugs are adjuncts to analgesic therapy
sedatives and anti anxiety
what happens with chronic pain and tolerance
it increases; may need to increase dose or get new drug
what is a PCA
pt. self administers med PRN, lessens overall consumption of narcotics
can intractable pain be controlled with medication
no
what are some examples of NSAIDs
aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen
what do NSAID’s do
pain relief, decrease inflammation, reduce fever
adverse effects of NSAID’s
gastric ulcer, acute renal failure, bleeding
what is a risk of NSAID’s
increase risk of thrombotic events, except aspirin
what is important to know about ketorolac
cannot use for more than 5 days, avoid during pregnancy
what NSAID has opioid like effects
ketorolac
what does acetaminophen lack
anti-inflammatory
what is important about acetaminophen
combining it with an opioid can produce a better response, caution for pts with liver problems
what is better about acetaminophen than NSAIDS
does not promote gastric ulceration, renal failure, or thrombotic events
what is the maximum daily dose of acetaminophen
3000 mg
what is the antidote for acetaminophen
N-acetylcysteine
what is weird about N-acetylcysteine
it tastes really bad, use soda or flavored drink to administer
what is local anesthesia used on
injected or applied to skin/mucous membranes
what is spinal or regional anesthesia used for
blocks pain from legs or abdomen
what is general anesthesia cause
loss of consciousness, needs airway and respiratory support
what is neuroleptanestehsia used for
brain surgeries, pt responds to commands, no discomfort
what is lidocaine
local anesthesia, can be used as injection or topical
can epinephrine be added to lidocaine
yes
where can epinephrine not be used on
areas with small capillaries because it vasoconstricts
