Pain Assessment

Question 1

What are some two screening tools for neuropathic pain?

Answer 1

S-LANSS and DN4

Question 2

What is neuropathic pain?

Answer 2

Direct injury to nerve. Thought to be caused by damage from lesion of disease of somatosensory system

Question 3

Name 6 characteristics of neuropathic pain.

Answer 3

Burning, numbness, electric shock, allodynia, hyperalgesia

Question 4

What is allodynia?

Answer 4

Pain from a stimulus that doesn’t normally cause pain

Question 5

What is hyperalgesia?

Answer 5

Exaggerated pain response from a stimulus

Question 7

When is it recommended that patient’s be screened for pain?

Answer 7

Any visit or admission, change in medical status, prior to and after a procedure

Question 8

Name 3 characteristics of acute pain.

Answer 8

Sudden onset, short duration (<30 days), resolves as healing occurs

Question 9

What duration qualifies pain as chronic?

Answer 9

Pain that lasts longer than 3 months or past time of normal healing

Question 10

What is nociceptive pain?

Answer 10

Pain that results from actual or threatened damage to non-neuronal tissue that results in activation of nociceptors

Question 11

What is the BPI (brief pain inventory)?

Answer 11

Widely used, short tool that assesses severity of pain and how pain impacts function. Also inquires about tx attempted and relief

Question 12

What are some risk factors for chronic pain?

Answer 12

Age over 50 years, females, history of seeing multiple providers, frequent use of several nonspecific medications, depression, mood disorders/personality

Question 13

What is a key assessment to consider with chronic pain?

Answer 13

Functional assessment

Question 14

What are some red flags for pain?

Answer 14

Unexplained weight loss, pain that wakes pt up at night or keeps them awake, night sweats

Question 15

What diagnostic test aids in confirming neuropathy?

Answer 15

EMG

Question 16

What are some possible causes of central neuropathic pain?

Answer 16

Spinal cord injury, stroke, MS

Question 17

What are some causes of peripheral neuropathic pain?

Answer 17

Diabetes, metabolic disorders, HIV, nutritional deficiencies, cancer, herpes zoster

Question 18

What are some key aspects of a neuropathic pain assessment?

Answer 18

Sensory assessment, reflexes, assess for muscle strength/atrophy, ?neuro exam

Question 19

Name a validated screening tool for cancer pain.

Answer 19

ESASr (Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale revised)