Pain Exam 2

Question 1

what is pain

Answer 1

pain is a complex experience

patient needs to explain they are in pain

Question 2

what is acute pain

Answer 2

protective pain
promotes withdrawal from painful stimuli, allows injured parts to heal, and teaches avoidance

no longer than 3 MONTHS

EX. when ulis was limping he had acute pain he was being careful on foot to not injure it more

Question 3

Nociception

Answer 3

process of impulses traveling to brain and back from brain to pain

afferent pathways, interpretive centers, efferent pathways

Question 4

afferent pathways

Answer 4

begin in peripheral nervous system, impulses travel into our spinal gait and ascend to cortex of brain

Question 5

interpretive centers

Answer 5

cortical and subcortical areas of brain, brainstem, midbrain, and cerebral cortex - parts of anatomy that interpret sensations from afferent pathway saying —> hey this is pain, this is hurting

Question 6

efferent pathways

Answer 6

take the message from the interpretive centers, backdown into the CNS and back out to peripheral nervous system and elicit a physical/mental response to pain

Question 7

what are nociceptors

Answer 7

pain receptors

free nerve endings in afferent peripheral nervous system that when stimulated call something nociceptive pain

Question 8

order of physiology of pain (nociception)

Answer 8

transduction –> transmission –> perception –> modulation

Question 9

transduction

Answer 9

painful stimuli converted to action potentials (electrical currents) at the sensory receptor
happens along A-delta fibers and C fibers
-substances/chemical mediators released as a result of DIRECT injury and inflammation

Question 10

prostaglandin

Answer 10

important mediator that when activated LOWERS THE PAIN threshold
-when circulating makes people feel pain more easily

Question 11

A-delta nerve fibers

Answer 11

myelinated - RAPID transmission of pain
pain is sharp, stinging, cutting, and pinching
localized
-stimulated/used when you cut yourself or poke with knife

Question 12

C-fibers nerve fibers

Answer 12

unmyelinated - SLOW transmission of pain
pain is dull, burning, aching
poorly localized - stretching pain
EX. primarily in muscles, tendons, organs

Question 13

transmission

Answer 13

process where ACTION POTENTIALS move from peripheral receptors to the spinal cord and then the brain

a-delta and c fibers are responsible for this transmission

Question 14

perception

Answer 14

brain then receives these signals and interprets them as painful

Question 15

modulation

Answer 15

synaptic transmission of pain signals in altered

Question 16

gate control

Answer 16

if one can inhibit the nerve impulse BEFORE it reaches the thalamus/cortex, one can decrease PERCEPTION OF PAIN

Question 17

what are the signs and symptoms of inflammation produced by

Answer 17

chemical mediators

- they are present in the plasma and activated by tissue injury

Question 18

what are prostaglandins

Answer 18

a chemical mediator that promote inflammation, pain, and fever

• they protect the lining of the stomach from the effects of acid
• promote blood clotting by activating platelets
• affect kidney function –> dilate blood vessels that lead to the kidneys

Question 19

what is chronic pain

Answer 19

lasting for more than 3-6 months

serves no purpose
often no ANS response - we do not see vital sign changes

Question 20

Neuropathic pain

Answer 20

arises from direct injury to the nerves

stimulus within the CNS

Question 21

what is referred pain

Answer 21

pain is felt at a DISTANCE form from the actual pathology - brain is unable to distinguish