Pain conclusion Flashcards
Describe the ascending nociception pathways
Spinal cord to brainstem, then has 3 pathways: Thalamus, amygdala and cerebellum
The thalamus sends projections to the:
– Posterior Insula
– Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC)
– Somatosensory Cortex
Where is there brain activity that only occurs during first-person experience of pain?
Primary somatosensory cortex
secondary somatosensory cortex, located in the posterior insula
Where are there big individual differences in pain experience?
primary somatosensory cortex and anterior cingulate cortex
No significant differences at the level of thalamus,
midbrain and other deep subcortical structures
How do we know whether a
baby is in pain?
- crying (changes in pitch, temporal patterning, and harmonic
structure also reflect the degree of pain and urgency) - facial expressions (brows bulge, crease, and furrow; lips purse,
the mouth opens wide, the tongue is taut, and the chin quivers) - body movement (jerking, pulling back, swinging arms, push
away with arms and legs) - physiological stress response (variations in respiration,
extreme heart rate elevation and instability, chemical blood
changes)
What is the purpose of vitamin K shots in babies?
rationale for administration: to prevent bleeding in the baby
- vitamin K serves as a coagulant (helps blood clotting)
- babies seem to be born with low levels of vitamin K
- shown to reduce bleeding (e.g., during circumcision)
- some vitamin K comes from the placenta, but is thought to
be not enough - oral administration also possible and effective, but
concerns about compliance
What was the purpose and problems with erythromycin treatment?
- could irritate the eye and blurs baby’s vision
- rationale for administration: to prevent any
infections that the baby might get while passing
through the birth canal - rationale and procedure itself outdated
- administration of antibiotic eye ointment was
mandated by law in BC until 2018
