Chapter 10 Flashcards
(19 cards)
EXPLAIN
Why is pain difficult to study?
Due to a heavy psychological component to the experience of pain, making it a unique experience to each individual
LIST
What are some influences on how we experience pain?
- Social pain results in more likely to experience physical pain
- Women are more sensitive to pain (may be due to hormone fluctations)
- Coping styles can affect pain experience levels (pain catastrophizing leads to more intense pain)
LIST
What are the 4 pain behaviours?
- Negative affect (depression, anxiety, bad mood)
- Facial and audible expressions of distress
- Distortions in posture or gait
- Avoidance of activity
LIST
What are 3 types of pain perception we experience?
Mechanical nociception: pain from tissue damage
Thermal damage: pain due to temperature exposure
Polymodal nociception: more general category that refers to pain that triggers chemical reactions from tissue damage (more sustained feeling of pain)
nociception is another way to say pain perception
LIST
What are the 3 nerve fibres involved in pain detection and what type of sensation do they relate to?
A-delta fibers: sharp pain (mechanical or thermal)
C-fibres: dull or aching pain
A-Beta fibres: pressure and vibration
EXPLAIN
What is the gate control theory of pain?
suggests that there is a pain gate in our nervous system that can open and close to modulate pain signals to the brain
A-Delta + C-Fibres = Open
A-Beta = Closed
LIST
What are some factors that open the gate in the gate control theory of pain?
- Extent of injury
- Inappropriate activity level
- Anxiety
- Tension
- Depression
- Focus on pain
- Boredom
LIST
What are some factors that close the gate in the gate control theory of pain?
- Medication
- Counter stimulus
- Positive emotions
- Relaxation
- Distraction
EXPLAIN
what is the neuromatrix theory of pain
suggests that there is a network of neurons all across the brain that creates our representation of a physical self, called the body-self neuromatrix
EXPLAIN
How does the body-self neuromatrix contribute to our sense of pain?
by generating nerve impulses that create characteristic patterns called neurosignatures. Each pain experience that we have results in a unique neurosignature that takes into account all of the factors that contribute to that pain
DEFINE
Opiates
Drugs manufactured from plants to control pain
DEFINE
Opioids
Opiate-like substances produced within the body
EXPLAIN
What is an endogenous opioid peptides?
naturally occurring neurotransmitters and neuromodulators produced by the body that act on opioid receptors to modulate pain, reward, and other functions
LIST
What are the 3 general families of endogenous opioid peptides?
- Beta-Endorphins
- Proenkephalin
- Prodynorphins
LIST
What are the 3 types of chronic pain?
- Chronic Benign pain (persists for more than 6 months; can be difficult to target cause)
- Reccurent Acute Pain (Episodes of acute pain)
- Chronic Progressive pain (Persists for more than 6 months; increasing in severity over time)
LIST
What 3 MMPI subscales are referred to as the “neurotic Triad”
Hypochondriasis, Hysteria, and Depression
DEFINE
Biofeedback
a technique that basically teaches patients to control certain bodily functions
EX: the patient’s heart rate would be tracked by the machine, and converted to a tone so the patient can hear how fast their heart is beating. Then, they try to modify their heart rate in response to that feedback
LIST
What are 3 pain control methods and their drawbacks?
Pharmacological: Influences neural transmission of pain, but addiction is a major concern
Surgical: Adds ‘lesions’ to pain fibers to interrupt signals, but is only short-term and may lead to further complications
Sensory: Use of opposing stimuli to ‘distract’ the brain
EXPLAIN
What is a pain management program?
Interdisciplinary efforts carried out in ‘pain clinics’
* helps make individualized treatment plans
* Patient education
* Most consistent and cost-effective strategy
