Pain

Question 0

What are the criticisms of the biomedical model of pain?

Answer 0

Does not account for: pain after healing, pain without damage, no pain despite damage, phantom limb pain, placebo effect, variation in pain from similar damage

Question 1

Define pain.

Answer 1

Unpleasant sensory & environmental experience which is associated with actual or potential tissue damage or is described in terms of such damage

Question 2

Contrast acute and chronic pain.

Answer 2

ACUTE: warns of tissue damage, pain lasts as long as there is healing

CHRONIC: pain>12 weeks, debilitating, does not indicate ongoing damage, prolonged rest & medication not helpful, arises from variety of conditions OR no known cause

Question 3

How can pain be assessed?

Answer 3

Self-report
Psychophysiological e.g. skin conductivity, muscle state
Effect of pain on life e.g. mood

note: subjective

Question 4

Outline the gate control theory of pain.

Answer 4

open gate
Damage/disease ————> Dorsal horn ————> Pain

Open gate: injury, over/under exercise, sensitivity of nervous system, stress/tension, focusing on pain (operant conditioning: expressing pain -> sympathy), negative emotions, negative beliefs (stimuli linked to bad experiences), minimal involvement in life

Close gate: medication, counter-stimulation, exercise, relaxation, distraction, positive emotions, positive beliefs (control of pain medication), active life

Question 5

What do Pain Management Programmes involve?

Answer 5

Improve physical, psychological, emotional, & social dimensions of quality of life in people with persistent pain using a multidisciplinary team working according to behavioural and cognitive principles
(focuses on effects of wellbeing rather than on disease/deficits in personality/mental health)

Managing thoughts & feelings, active, goal setting, relaxation

Pros: being believed that pain is real, part of group (shared experience), social comparison
Cons: ?follow-up, maintaining changes, consistency, language/social/cognitive skills needed)