pain management Flashcards
what is pain
-body’s defense mechanisms to indicate a problem
-sensory and emotional, associated with actual or potential tissue damage
-universal and mysterious
-subjective assessment
-“pain is whatever the experiencing person says it is, existing whenever they say it does”
what are the physiological effects of pain
-hyperglycemia
-increased cardiac workload
-immune dysfunction
-altered coagulation
-ileus
-urinary retention
-decreased lung volume
-fatigue
-debility
what are some psychological effects of pain
-social isolation
-disability/lost work
-poor quality of life
-anxiety
-depression
-demoralization
-suicide
what are the four processes of pain
-transduction
-transmission
-perception
-modulation
describe transduction
-converts noxious stimuli to electrical impulses (noxious stimuli may be mechanical, thermal, or chemical and move from periphery (nociceptors) to doral horn of spinal cord)
-nociceptors are stimulated
nociceptors are stimulated by the release of…
-histamine (excites nerve endings)
-lactic acid (builds up in tissue)
-bradykinin (vasodilator)
-prostaglandins (sends stimuli to CNS)
-substance P (sensitive recpetors on nerves for pain)
-serotinin (stimulates vasoconstriction)
describe transmission
-A-delta fibers and C fibers move pain impulse
-reflex arc
describe A-delta fibers
larger, transport more localized pain
describe C fibers
transport aching pain
describe perception of pain
-individual interpretation of stimuli
-threshold (lowest intensity of stimulus that causes recognition of pain)
-adaptation (pain become tolerable over time)
describe modulation of pain
-regulation or inhibition of pain sensation
-neuromodulators are involved
what are neuromodulators
-endogenous opiod compounds
-released by both pain and stress
-found in spinal cord and brain
-bind to specific opioid receptor sites and reduce perception of pain
name two neuromodulators
-endorphins (released when pain relieving drugs are used
-enkephalins (widespread in CNS, less potent, inhibit substance P)
what is gate control theory
-provides ideas for pain relief emphasizing multiple dimensions of pain; relationship between pain and emotions (sensory, emotional, behavioral, cognitive)
-different pain interventions may be used to address various dimensions of pain for more holistic approach to therapy
basically says only certain signals can get through, motor is let through before sensory
types of pain
describe duration
can be
-acute
-chronic/prolonged/persistent (which can be malignant or nonmalignant)
types of pain
describe source
-cutaneous
-somatic
-visceral
types of pain
describe mode of transmission
referred
types of pain
describe etiology
-nociceptive
-neuropathic
-psychogenic
describe acute pain
-rapid onset
-varies in intesity
-protective in nature
-after underlying cause is gone the pain goes away
describe chronic/persistent/prolonged pain
-intermittent or persistent
-lasts beyond normal healing period
-periods of remission and exacerbation
-difficulty describing pain -> often perceived as meaningless
describe cutaneous pain
-superficial
-ex. paper cut
describe somatic pain
-diffused/scattered
-ex. sprained ankle
describe visceral pain
-body organs due to stretch/spasm
-most difficult to describe
-ex. cholangitis
describe neuropathic pain
-usually chronic
-abnormal function of peripheral nervous system or central nervous system
-burning, electric, tingling, stabbing
-allodynia (pain after non painful stimuli)
-pain syndromes (phatom pain, diabeteic neuropathy)
describe psychogenic pain
-no physical cause, cant be identified
-results from a mental event
describe intractable pain
-resistent to treatment
-persists despite interventions
pain experience is affected by…
-culture/ethnicity
-family/gender/age
-religious beliefs
-environment
-anxiety
-past pain experience
lifespan considerations r/t pain
newborn/infant
-can’t communicate
-under treatment of pain
lifespan considerations r/t pain
toddler/preschooler
cannot ID pain
lifespan considerations r/t pain
school age/adolescent
cant rationalize pain