Pain Lecture

Question 1

Pain

Answer 1

perception occurs within the parietal lobe
- pain sensation from the Nociceptor (sensitive to damaging stimuli
- activated by extreme pressure, temperature and chemical changes due to damaged tissue around the area (histamine)

Question 2

Pain Pathway:

Answer 2

1. Threshold Stimulus; Action potential begins at a Noiciceptor
   - activated a neuron; AP travels up Spinal cord to the parietal lobe in the cerebrum

Question 3

Degree of Pain

Answer 3

• Number or frequency of Action Potentials (AP), as the # goes up = increased amount of pain
• Number of Nociceptors; increased Nocic. = increased pain

Question 4

Types of Pain

Answer 4

1. Acute Pain: short-lived pain (5-20 minutes)
   - ex: paper cut
2. Chronic Pain: long term (weeks-years)
3. Referred Pain: pain that arises from one part of the body and is perceived from another part
4. Phantom Pain (not common): used by those who have been amputated, where an amputee senses pain in the missing appendage

Question 5

NT involved with Pain
- the NT promoting pain sensation is

Answer 5

The NT promoting pain sensation is; Glutamate + Substance P
- Pain suppressing NT; are Endorphins + Enkephalins

Question 6

Treatment of Pain

Answer 6

NSAIDS: Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
- Ibuprofen / Acetaminophen

Treatment for Chronic Pain:
- Opioid Drugs; powerful pain relievers by causing relaxation
types of opioids; oxycodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl, heroin
- attach to opioids receptors by blocking pain transmission

Question 7

Side Effects of Opioids

Answer 7

1. Addictive
2. Drowsy
3. Constipation
4. decrease respiratory rate
   - too low causes hypoxia (de. O2 in blood) can cause brain damage or brain death

Question 8

When Giving Opioids to a Patient you must…

Answer 8

observe Respiratory rate before and after opioid is administered
- normal resp. rate 12-18 breaths/min IF LOWER GIVE NARCAN (naloxone); opioid reversal medication