Pain: Classification & Assessment Flashcards
Pain
Define Pain -
Some findings -
“an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual and potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage, or both.”
Pain is subjective
◦ Many clinicians define pain as “whatever the patient says it is.” –( Herndon et al., 2020)
Pain is a very common reason for seeking medical attention
Many healthcare providers do not receive adequate training in the treatment of pain
What are the 4 Pain Classification?
Underlying cause (3 types)
Duration (acute or chronic)
Location (body region)
Intensity (mild, moderate, severe)
Pain
What are the 3 Underlying Cause?
1. Somatic (Nociceptive Pain) • Fracture • Incisional injury • Thermal injury • Traumatic injury
2. Visceral (Nociceptive Pain) • Bowel obstruction • Constipation • Endometriosis • Metastatic organ involvement
3. Neuropathic Pain (Non‐Nociceptive) • Spinal stenosis • Diabetic neuropathy • Post herpetic neuralgia • Phantom limb pain
Characteristics of Somatic Pain:
Involves activation of nociceptors in cutaneous or deep tissue
◦ Skin, bone, joint, muscle, or connective tissue
◦ e.g., broken bone, sprained ankle
Superficial
◦ Throbbing; aching; may be associated with
tenderness; localized
◦ e.g., superficial burns, cuts, bruises
Deep – structures of body wall
◦ Dull aching, can be localized, but may radiate to
adjacent area
◦ e.g., post‐operative pain, trauma (because of damage
to skeletal muscles)
Characteristics of Visceral Pain:
Results from injury to sympathetically innervated organs
Five (5) key characteristics
1. Not evoked from all viscera / organs
◦ The kidneys, liver, and lungs are not sensitive to
pain; this is different mechanism
2. Not linked to injury
◦ e.g., a stretched bladder from urinary retention
may cause pain
3. Referred to body wall
4. Diffuse and poorly localized
5. Intense motor and autonomic reactions
Characteristics of Neuropathic Pain:
Non‐nociceptive pain resulting from damage to or pathological changes in neurons
Characteristics
◦ Continuous or paroxysmal
◦ Burning, electric tingling, shooting, lack of sensation
◦ Persists beyond normal healing period
Responds poorly to traditional analgesia
Requires multidisciplinary approach
Classification by Duration
Characteristics of Acute Pain:
Nociceptive ‐ Protective Mechanism
◦ Warns of danger
◦ Warns of disease
◦ Limits use of the painful area
Pain < 1 month duration
◦ Typically somatic and visceral in nature
Abates quickly when the underlying pathology stops
◦ e.g., surgery, acute illness, trauma, labour, and other
medical procedures
◦ Our goal is to recognize (and treat) this pain before it
becomes chronic
Classification by Duration
Characteristics of Chronic Pain:
• > 6 months duration
• Little protective mechanism
• May be nociceptive, neuropathic or mixed
• Persists after pathology resolves
• Little chance of being pain free
- May result in changes to pain receptors
Characteristics of Acute vs. Chronic Pain
Relief of Pain?
Acute Pain - Highly desirable
Chronic Pain - Highly desirable
Characteristics of Acute vs. Chronic Pain
Dependence & tolerance to analgesics?
Acute Pain - Unusual
Chronic Pain - Common
Characteristics of Acute vs. Chronic Pain
Psychological Component?
Acute Pain - Usually not present
Chronic Pain - Often a major problem
Characteristics of Acute vs. Chronic Pain
Organic Cause?
Acute Pain - Common
Chronic Pain - May not be present
Characteristics of Acute vs. Chronic Pain
Family/Environmental Issues?
Acute Pain - Small
Chronic Pain - Significant
Characteristics of Acute vs. Chronic Pain
Insomnia?
Acute Pain - Unusual
Chronic Pain - Common component
Characteristics of Acute vs. Chronic Pain
Treatment Goal?
Acute Pain - Cure or eliminate pain
Chronic Pain - Functionality
Characteristics of Acute vs. Chronic Pain
Depression?
Acute Pain - Uncommon
Chronic Pain - Common
Acute Pain – Presentation
General:
• Obvious distress (facial expressions, body
movements, vocalizations)
• Attention to factors that alter pain threshold
Acute Pain – Presentation
Symptoms:
• Sharp, dull, tingling, shooting, radiating, fluctuating
intensity
• Occur in a timely relationship with noxious stimulus
Acute Pain – Presentation
Signs:
• Hypertension, tachycardia, diaphoresis, mydriasis,
pallor (not diagnostic)
• Comorbid conditions not present
• Predictable response to treatment
Acute Pain – Presentation
Lab & DI:
- No specific findings to diagnose pain
* Role in determining & managing underlying pathology
Chronic Pain – Presentation
General:
• Can appear to have no noticeable suffering
• Assess mental/emotional factors that alter the pain
threshold.
- Anxiety, depression, fatigue, anger, and fear are
noted to lower this threshold.
- Mood elevation, sympathy, distraction, and
understanding raise the pain threshold.
Chronic Pain – Presentation
Symptoms:
• Sharp, dull, tingling, shooting, radiating, fluctuating
intensity, varying in location
• Occur in absence of a timely relationship with noxious
stimulus
• Over time, the pain stimulus may cause symptoms
that completely change (eg, sharp to dull, obvious to
vague).