Pain, Inflammation, Fever Flashcards
analgesics
madications that relieve pain without causing loss of consciousness
pain
an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with either actual or potential tissue damage
nociceptors
pain results from the stimulation of sensory nerve fibers known as nociceptors.
These receptors transmit pain signals from various body regions to the spinal cord and brain, which leads to the sensation of pain, or nociception
nociception
sensation of pain
pain threshold
the level of stimulus needed to produce a painful sensation
pain tolerance
psychologic element of pain.
This is the amount of pain a patient can endure without its interfering with normal function.
somatic pain
originates from skeletal muscles, ligaments, and joints
Visceral pain
originates from organs and smooth muscles
superficial pain
originates from the skin and mucous membranes.
deep pain
occurs in tissues below skin level
how to treat visceral, or superficial pain
opioids
how to treat somatic pain
nonopioid analgesics
such as nonsteroidal aniinflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs)
vascular pain
ogiginate from the vascular or perivascular tissues
and is thought to account for a large percentage of migraine headaches
referred pain
occurs when visceral nerve fibers synapse at a level in the spinal cord close to fibers that supply specific subcutaneous tissues in the body.
example: Pain associated with cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation ), which is often referred to the back and scapular areas.
neuropathic pain
results from damage to peripheral or CNS nerve fibers by disease or injury but may also be idiopathic (unwxplained)
Phantom pain
occurs in the area of a body part that has been removed
it can also occur in paralyzed limbs following spinal cord injury
cancer pain
can be acute or chronic or both
most often results from pressure of the tumor mass against nerves, organs, or tissues
–hypoxia from blockage of blood supply to an organ, metastases, pathologic fractures, muscle spasms, and adverse effects of radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy.
central pain
occurs with tumors, trauma, Inflammation, or disease ( e.g., cancer, diabetes, stroke, multiple sclerosis ) affecting CNS tissues
nociceptors
pain receptors
body’s painkillers (produced within the body)
ebdorphins and enkephalins
inhibiting the transmission of pain impulses by closing the spinal cord gates
these endogenous analgesic substances are released whenever the body experiences pain or prolonged exertion.
neuropathic pain
results from nerve damage secondary to disease
( e.g., diabetic neuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia secondary to shingles, AIDS or injury, including nerve damage secondary to surgical procedures)
