INTRODUCTION TO PAIN Flashcards
(46 cards)
What is the most common reason for seeking medical attention?
Pain
What percentage of adults globally suffer from pain?
1 in 5 adults
How many adults are diagnosed with chronic pain each year?
1 in 10 adults
What is the expected rise in the number of people suffering from chronic pain in New Zealand by 2048?
From 770,000 to around 1.26 million people
What is nociception?
Neural process of encoding noxious stimuli
How is pain defined?
Conscious experience influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors
What is the distinction between pain and nociception?
Pain is a conscious experience, while nociception is the neural process
What does the biopsychosocial-behavioral model of pain include?
Biological, psychological, and social factors
What are the three types of pain presentations recognized clinically?
- Nociceptive * Neuropathic * Nociplastic
What characterizes nociceptive pain?
Arises from actual or threatened damage to non-neural tissue
What characterizes neuropathic pain?
Caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system
What is nociplastic pain?
Arises from altered nociception without clear evidence of actual or threatened tissue damage
What is the duration of persistent/chronic pain?
Pain that persists for approximately 3-6 months
What are some changes associated with chronic pain?
- Unhelpful psychological states * Increased sensitivity of peripheral nerve endings * Increased activation of spinal cord neurons * Altered immune response * Decreased descending modulation of nociceptive processing * Altered brain activity
What does the brain’s involvement in pain suggest?
The experience of pain is influenced by brain activity and can be misunderstood as being ‘all in the mind’
What is the impact of context on pain experience?
Context can influence the experience of any event, including pain
What is the imbalance concept of chronic pain?
Balance between pain facilitation and inhibition is important
What does the gate control theory suggest?
Pain perception can be modulated by competing sensory input
What are the dimensions involved in pain assessment?
- Pain severity * Pain interference * Pain unpleasantness * Physical function * Psychological well-being * Sleep quality
What is a case formulation approach in pain management?
Integrates multidimensional contributors of persistent pain to inform interventions
What types of treatments are included in multimodal pain management?
- Pharmacological * Non-pharmacological * Interdisciplinary approach
What are some common pharmacological treatments for pain?
- Opioids * NSAIDs * Antidepressants * Antiepileptic drugs * Cannabinoids * Local anaesthetics
What are factors influencing drug treatment of pain?
- Cultural beliefs * Personal experience * Medical history * Pain intensity * Drug-drug interactions
What are several non-pharmacological approaches to pain management?
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy * Mind-body interventions * Neuromodulation * Exercise and physical activity
