Pain and Analgesia Flashcards
Define pain
An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage
What is pain?
Individual experience
Multidimensional
Protective function
What are the different types of pain?
Physiologic
Nociceptive/Inflammatory
Neuropathic
What are the characteristics of physiologic pain?
Short duration, preprogrammed responses, no tissue damage
What are the characteristics of nociceptive/inflammatory pain?
Tissue damage, allodynia, hyperalgesia etc
Pathologic forms
What are the characteristics of neuropathic pain?
Damage or dysfunction of peripheral nerves or CNS
Define acute pain
Obvious cause
Relatively short duration
Resolves with healing
Protective function
Define chronic pain
Multiple causes
Persist after healing
No adaptive function
Often refractory to treatment
What is the process of nociception?
Transduction Transmission Modulation Projection Perception
What is the process of transduction of pain?
Peripheral nerves are extensions of CNS and free nerve endings transduce noxious stimuli into electrical signals and action potentials
Varied sensitivity to mechanical, thermal and chemical stimuli
What is peripheral sensitisation?
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What is the process of transmission of pain?
First order neurons synapse in dorsal horn
Myelinated A-delta fibres = first pain
Unmyelinated C fibres = second pain, visceral pain
What is the process of modulation of pain?
Peripheral sensory nerve impulses are amplified or suppressed in the spinal cord
Dorsal horn has inter-neurons and ascending neurons
What is the gate theory of control?
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What is the process of inhibitory neurotransmission in the dorsal horn?
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What is the process of central sensitisation?
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What are the ascending pathways for nociception? (process of projection)
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What is the process of perception of pain?
Unpleasant sensation in the CNS resulting in a behavioural response to pain which varies according to species
What are the descending pathways of pain?
Originates in the brian (amygdala, hypothalamus)
Relayed via the brain stem, rostral ventral medulla
Spinal cord - release of inhibitory neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine, endogenous opioids)
Takes part in modulation
What are the consequences of pain?
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Why is peripheral and central sensitisation important?
The level of pain perceived is more severe
Analgesic drugs may be less effective if given once pain is present
One type of analgesic may not be effective on its own
How is pain assessed in practice?
Visual analogue scale Numerical rating score Simple descriptive scale Composite scoring system Multidimensional scoring system