Pain Management Flashcards
What is acute pain?
Nociceptive pain associated with specific somatosensory stimuli with an identifiable peripheral injury or lesion
<12 weeks duration
When does acute pain transition to chronic pain classification?
12 weeks
Shift from peripheral damage and tissue inflammation to more central sensitization and CNS mechanisms
Risks for transitioning from acute to chronic pain
Hx of chronic pain elsewhere
Stress
Comorbidities
What are the characteristics of centralized chronic pain?
Multifocal
Almost always associated with symptoms of energy, sleep, memory, mood disturbance
Define neuropathic pain origin
Pain caused by lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system
Define nociceptive pain
Pain that arises from actual or threatened damage to non-neural tissue and results d/t activation of nociceptors
Neuropathic Pain
Duration/Timing
Spontaneous, continuous, paroxysmal, evoked
Allodynia
Allodynia
Sensitive to touch
Neuropathic Pain
Descriptors/Qualities
Burning, electrical shock-like, dysesthesia, brush allodynia
Dysesthesia
Abnormal sensation
Pain-like quality: burning, tingling, prickling, aching
Identifying sources of neuropathic pain
PE
Evaluate for thermal and mechanical sensory deficits
Diagnostic testing for neuropathic pain
EMG
Quantitative sensory testing,
Brain/spinal cord imaging Nerve or skin biopsy
What is the DN4 Questionnaire?
Estimates probability of neuropathic pain
-Characteristics, associated symptoms, PE findings for hypoesthesia to touch and pinprick and ability to increase or illicit pain by brushing
History components for pain
Onset, location, duration, timing, characteristics, alleviating/aggravating factors, associated symptoms, impact on QOL
Psychosocial considerations for pain assessment/chronic pain
Psych hx, medical hx, r/f SUD
Biological Pain Factors
Etiology, dx, age, injury, neuro, genetic, hormones, obesity
Psychological Pain Factors
Mood, stress, coping, trauma, childhood
Social Pain Factors
Culture, economic, social support, spirituality, ethnicity, education, bio/stigma
Management of Refractory Neuropathic Pain
Interventional: Spinal cord stimulator, spinal medications, blocks, surgical
Management of Mild Pain
Non-opioids +/- adjuvant
Management of Moderate Pain
Weak opioid + non-opioid +/- adjuvant
Management of Severe Pain
Strong opioid + non-opioid +/- adjuvant
What are the 5 As of Pain Management?
Analgesia - pain relief
Activities - optimize ADLs, psychosocial functioning
Adverse effects - minimize AEs
Aberrant drug taking - Avoid d/t addiction-related outcomes
Affect - Relationship between pain and mood
Always document in clinical note
Non-opioid pain management medications
APAP, NSAIDs, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, musculoskeletal agents, anti-anxiety agents
First line therapy for chronic neuropathic pain
Anticonvulsants - pregabalin, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, gabapentin
SNRIs - duloxetine, venlafaxine
TCAs - Nortriptyline, amitriptyline
Topical analgesics - lidocaine, capsaicin
First line pharmacological management of neuropathic pain with strong evidence
Gabapentin 400 to 1200 mg TID
Gabapentin 600 to 1800 mg BID
Pregabalin 150 to 300 mg BID
SNRIs:
Duloxetine (Cymbalta) 60 to 120 mg daily
Venlafaxine (Effexor) ER 150 to 225 mg daily
TCAs (Nortriptyline/amitripyline) 25 to 150 mg daily or 12.5 to 75 mg BID
Second line pharmacological management of neuropathic pain with weak evidence
Capsaicin 8% patches
One to four patches to painful area for 30-60 min q3m
Lidocaine patches
One to three patches to pain region daily 12h on/12h off
Tramadol 200-400 mg in three divided doses; if ER in 2 divided doses
Third line pharmacological management of neuropathic pain with weak evidence
Botulinum toxin A
50-200 units SQ q3m
Strong Opioids
Pharmacologic agents for neuropathic pain with inconclusive recommendations
Combination therapy Capsaicin cream Carbamazepine Clonidine topical Lacosamide Lamotrigine NMDA antagonists Oxcarbazepine SSRIs Tapentadol Topiramate Zonisamide
Pharmacologic agents for neuropathic pain with weak recommendations against use
Cannabinoids
Valproate
Pharmacologic agents for neuropathic pain with strong recommendations against use
Levetiracetam
Mexiletine (Anti-arrhythmic)
Management of non-neuropathic, non-cancer pain
First line - APAP, NSAIDs
Alternatives: Antispasmodics - tizanidine (Zanaflex), baclofen Topical preparations Multimodal approaches SNRIs TCAs