Physiology of Pain Flashcards
How does Nociceptive pain arise?
From stimulation of specific pain receptor and is a normal response to potential damage or injury f tissue
How can Nociceptive pain be classified as?
Somatic or visceral pain
What is somatic pain?
A form of nociceptive pain
Localised in the skin, soft tissue, muscles and bones.
Caused by activation of pain receptors on body surface or musciloskeletal tissue
What is visceral pain?
A form of nociceptive pain
Results from inflammation. distension or stretching of the internal organs (i.e. GI tract)
What are some charactestics of Nociceptive pain (4)?
Normly associated with injury, burns and inflammation
Patients usually find it easier to describe
usually proportional to sverity of injury
Can be achy, gnawing, deep pain or feeling of pressure
What is neuropathic pain?
Pain which results from damage to the PNS, CNS or both
What are some of the charachteristics of neuropathic pain?
Serves no protective function and can be disproportionate to severity of injury.
Can be described as burning, shooting, stabbing tingling pain etc.
What can cause Neuropathic pain?
Disease
CNS related conditions
Accompanied by other sensations
What is Acute pain?
associated with actual or potential damage (nociceptive)
Recent onset and limited duration and the cause is usually identifiable.
What is chronic pain?
pain that continues beyond the expected time of healing ( usually 3 to 6 months)
Sometimes a specific cause can not be found and it can be difficult to treat
List some of the impacts of acute pain on an individual
Anxiety/stress
fatigue/ low energy
low respiratory ventilation
increase in stress hormones.
Describe the pain pathway
noxious stimulus (transduction)
primary afferent nociceptor (transmission)
(Modulation)
spinothalamic tract
thalamus
cortex (perception)
What are the 4 physiological processes involved in the pain pathway?
Transduction
Perception
Transmission
Modulation
What happen during the Transduction stage?
Noxious stimuli
