Psychological Aspects Of Pain And Management Flashcards
What is the relay of pain in the brain?
Travels from the brain to the somatosensory cortex. This projects to the:
Thalamus, insula and Parahippocampal cortex.
What is the role of the insula in pain?
Role of pain processing.
What is the role of the thalamus in pain?
Relaying pain.
How is memory of pain categorised?
Context: what happened
Previous memory experience
Expectation of what the pain will feel like
Emotion leading up to it
What is acute pain?
Pain associated with tissue damage which lasts from 0-3 months.
What is chronic pain?
Pain which fails to resolve past 3 months despite tissue damage healing.
What should be encouraged in chronic pain?
Movement
-> conditioning means that pain due to a movement can mean that the brain associates any movement with pain before it occurred.
What are the NICE guidelines for chronic pain?
No analgesics
No MRIs
Avoid surgery for back pain because of worse outcomes
Acupuncture
Provide anti-depressants
Exercise groups to encourage movement
What is the initial assessment of pain?
Nature, history and relieving and aggravating factors for pain
Coping strategies
Effect on lifestyle such as relationships and work
What are the common co-morbidities for chronic pain?
Anxiety and depression
Sleep disorders
Lack of energy
Suicidal thoughts
What are the treatments for chronic pain?
Cognitive behavioural therapies to tackle the conditioning and thoughts behind chronic pain to challenge negative thoughts and manage for coping skills.
What are the treatments for chronic pain?
Mindfulness
Acupuncture
Cognitive Behavioural therapy.
