Psychology of Pain Flashcards
What is pain medicine recognized as in clinical practice?
A necessary field in clinical practice.
What is the basic science of pain processing?
Understanding how pain is processed in the body and brain.
List the multidimensional aspects of the pain experience.
- Sensory
- Emotional
- Cognitive
- Behavioral
- Social
What percentage of the NZ population experiences persistent pain?
20.2%.
Define pain.
An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage.
What are the characteristics of acute pain?
- Recent onset/limited duration
- Warning sign for danger
- Facilitated healing through immobilization
- Less complex psychological processing
What defines persistent (chronic) pain?
Pain persisting beyond expected healing of injury, often with no identifiable cause.
What is nociception?
The neural process of encoding noxious stimuli.
What is a noxious stimulus?
A stimulus that is damaging or threatens damage to normal tissues.
What are the components of the pain network?
- Primary afferent neuron
- Second-order neuron
- Third-order neuron
What is nociplastic pain?
Altered nociception without clear evidence of ongoing actual or threatened tissue damage.
What factors influence the pain experience?
- Source of injury
- Beliefs/concerns
- Other illnesses
- Coping strategies
- Social factors
- Psychological factors
True or False: Nociception is the same as pain.
False.
What cultural groups in NZ are most affected by persistent pain?
- NZ Europeans
- Māori
What is the fear-avoidance model?
A model describing how fears about pain can lead to avoidance behaviors.
What is the first step in working with pain patients during assessment?
Build rapport, active listening, validate, and normalize.
What types of pain measurements are commonly used?
- Self-report inventory
- Body charts
- Self-report scales
Fill in the blank: Pain management is __________ and requires a multidisciplinary team.
[complex]
List some common myths about chronic pain.
- ‘All in my head’
- ‘I can’t live with this label of chronic pain’
- ‘Just tell me what’s wrong and fix it’
What is important to provide to patients for pain management?
Education to provide information and correct any factual errors.
How can cultural issues affect pain management?
Cultural differences can influence reporting, perceptions, and treatment approaches.
What may repeated and ongoing noxious stimulation lead to?
Enhancement of pain sensitivity (hyperalgesia) and neuroplastic changes.
What role does psychological distress play in pain perception?
It can exacerbate pain experiences and lead to a lower quality of life.
