Pain study guide (highlighted) Flashcards
Epicritic sensations are what kind of sensations?
light touch, pressure, proprioception and temperature discrimination
Epicritic sensations are characterized by?
conducted by?
characterized by low threshold receptors and are generally conducted by large myelinated nerve fibers
Protopathic sensations (pain) are detected by what kind of receptors? conducted by what type of nerve fibers?
detected by high-threshold receptors and conducted by smaller, myelinated a-delta and unmyelinated C nerve fibers.
Nociception’s do they all produce pain?
Yes, all nociception produces pain, but not all pain results from nociception.
Describe Chronic pain?
Chronic pain is pain that persists beyond the usual course of an acute disease or after a reasonable time for healing to occur. This healing can vary from 1 to 6 months. Chronic pain may be nociceptive, neuropathic or mixed. A distinguishing factor of chronic pain is that psychological mechanisms or environmental factors frequently play a major role.
2nd order neurons:
The spinothalamic tract?
Classically considered the major pain pathway. It lies anterolaterally in the white matter of the spinal cord. It is an ascending tract
Spino-mesencephalic tract?
may be important in activating anti-nociceptive, descending pathways because it has some projections to the peri-aqueductal gray
Third order neurons?
Located in the thalamus & send fibers to somatosensory areas I & II in the postcentral gyrus of the parietal cortex & the superior wall of the sylvian fissure, respectively.
What is unique about the cornea and tooth pulp?
they are almost exclusively innervated by nociceptive Aẟ & C fibers.
generally insensitive tissues that mostly contain silent nociceptors.
Visceral organs
Most other organs such as the intestines are innervated by what kind of nociceptors?
polymodal
polymodal nociceptors respond to what kind of pain stimulation? (think intestines)
smooth muscle spasm, ischemia, and inflammation
polymodal nociceptors such as in the intestines, these receptors generally do not respond to what kind of stimulation?
cutting, burning, or crushing that occurs during surgery.
The brain lacks nociceptors totally, however what covering of the brain does contain nociceptors?
meningeal covering
somatic nociceptors and visceral nociceptors both are free nerve endings of primary afferent neurons whose cell bodies lie in the?
dorsal horn
Main excitatory NT is?
Glutamate
exaggerated response to pain at the site of injury would be described as?
Primary hyperalgesia
Describe 2ndary hyperlgesia?
increased pain response evoked by stimuli outside the area of injury.
s/s of secondary hyperlgesia?
red flushing, local tissue edema, and sensitization to noxious stimuli. Does not have skin denervation.
Acute pain is typically associated with?
neuroendocrine stress response that is proportional to
pain intensity.
CV effects of acute pain would be?
Cardiovascular effects are often prominent and include hypertension, tachycardia, enhanced myocardial irritability, and increased systemic vascular resistance.
Cardiac output increases in most normal patients but may decrease in patients with compromised ventricular function. Because of the increase in myocardial oxygen demand, pain can worsen or precipitate myocardial ischemia.
Does acute pain increase or decrease total body oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production?
increases both, leading to an increase in min. ventilation.
If you have acute pain and an abdominal or throacic incision what typically occurs?
compramised pulmonary function do to guarding or splinting of the are (less deep breaths are going to take place)
decreased movement of the chest wall due to acute pain in this area will lead to?
reduced tidal volume and FRC, promoting atelectasis, intrapulmonary shunting, hypoxemia, and, less commonly, hypoventilation.
increased work of breathing due to acute pain is common in patients who have?
underlying lung disease
reductions in vital capacity due to acute pain leads to?
impaired coughing and clearing of secretions.
endocrine effects of acute pain?
Stress increases catabolic hormones (catecholamines, cortisol, and glucagon) and decrease anabolic hormones (insulin and testosterone).
Hematological effects of acute pain?
Stress mediated increases in platelet adhesiveness, reduced fibrinolysis, and hypercoagulability have been reported
What is the Wong-baker FACES scale?
Designed for children >3yr, useful for those populations who have difficulty communicating
Various faces on the graph (smiling = no pain; to extremely unhappy = worst possible pain) describe the pain
What is entrapment syndrome?
syndromes caused by neural compression wherever a nerve comes through an ANATOMICALLY NARROWED PASSAGE, and can involve sensory, motor, or mixed nerves
How do you diagnose entrapment syndrome?
confirmed by electromyography and nerve conduction studies
Describe Myofacial pain?
Syndromes characterized by aching muscle pain, spasms, stiffness, weakness, and occasionally autonomic dysfunction. Patients develop discrete “TRIGGER POINTS” of tenderness in one or more muscles or connective tissues.
How is a diagnosis of fibromyalgia made?
diagnosis is by rule out!
There are “3” criteria that suggest the diagnosis of fibromyalgia, what are they?
High pain score
Symptoms present for at least 3 months
Absence of another disorder that would otherwise explain the pain
what drugs are approved for the treatment of fibromyalgia? (3)
pregabalin (Lyrica)
duloxetine (Cymbalta)
milnacipran (Savella)
what medications should NOT be used for fibromyalgia?
The internet states Glucocorticosteroids such as prednisone and cortisone are contraindicated.
90% of disc herniations occur at what two levels?
L5-S1 of L4-L5.
describe spinal stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is an abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal or neural foramen that results in pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. Symptoms may include pain, numbness, or weakness in the arms or legs. Symptoms are typically gradual in onset and improve with bending forwards.
What is Spondylolisthesis
spinal condition that affects the lower vertebrae (spinal bones). This disease causes one of the lower vertebrae to slip forward onto the bone directly beneath it. It’s a painful condition but treatable in most cases
Spondyloptosis is?
term to denote grade V spondylolisthesis - a vertebra having slipped so far with respect to the vertebra below that the two endplates are no longer congruent. It is usually anterolisthesis of L5 on S1 but can be seen elsewhere - rarely
Ankylosing spondylitis is?
(a form of arthritis) is a familial disorder associated with histocompatibility antigen HLA-B27.
- Presents as low back pain with early morning stiffness in YOUNG patient, usually MALE
- Pain has gradual onset, and may improve with activity
- After few months to years, the pain intensifies and is associated with progressively restricted movement of the spine.
diagnosis of ankylosing sondylitis, what do you see on xray?
bamboo-like spine
MOST common syndrome seen with diabetic neuropathy?
peripheral polyneuropathy= symmetric numbness (“stocking and glove” distribution), paresthesia, dysesthesias, and pain
How is a tension headache described?
• Described as tight bandlike pain or discomfort that is often associated with tightness in the neck muscles
Is a tension headache typically unilateral or bilateral?
More often bilateral
Describe a cluster headache? Where do they occur in the head? how often do they occur in what time period? what is the pain like? how long do they last?
classically unilateral and periorbital
occurring in clusters of one to three attacks a day over a 4- to 8-week period.
The pain is described as a burning or drilling sensation that may awaken the patient from sleep. Episodes lasts 30–120 min.