Pain management Flashcards
(97 cards)
What is the physiology of processing pain
- Pain sensation STARTS w/ stimulation of nociceptors
- Receptors are in somatic and visceral structures, and help discriminate noxious from innocuous stimuli
- Nociceptors are activated by mechanical, thermal, or chemical stimuli
- Noxious stimuli may activate cytokines or chemokines that activate/sensitize nociceptors
What are the steps in processing pain
- Transduction: stimulation of nociceptors by mechanical, thermal, or physical stimuli
- Conduction: receptor activation causes AP along afferent fibers (large myelinated or small unmyelinated) to spinal cord.
- Transmission: Nociceptive fibers synapse in dorsal horn and release excitatory NT, while spinothalamic tract brings signal to higher brain structures
- Perception: you experience pain when signals reach higher cortical structures
- Modulation: Glutamate, substance P, endogenous opioids, GABA, NE, and serotonin can modulate pain
What is maladaptive pain
Pathophysiologic pain resulting from damage or abn fxn of nerves in CNS or PNS. Pain circuits rewire themselves anatomically and biochemically= chronic pain, hyperalgesia, or allodynia
Examples of maladaptive pain are
postherpetic neuralgia diabetic neuropathy fibromyalgia IBS chronic headaches
Explain Somatic pain
arise from skin, bone, joint, muscle, or connective tissue
Pain presents as throbbing and well localized
Explain visceral pain
arise from internal organs (colon, pancreas, etc.)
Manifests as pain coming from other structures (referred pain) or as a more localized phenomenon
During stimulation of nociceptors, noxious stimuli may lead to release of
Bradykinins H+ and K+ ions Prostaglandins Histamine Interleukins TNF-a Serotonin Substance P
What kind of pain do different size fibers transmit
Large, myelinated A fibers: sharp, localized pain
Small, unmyelinated C fibers: dull, aching, poorly localized pain
What is the endogenous opiate system
consists of NT like enkephalins, dynorphins, and endorphins
Receptors mu, delta, kappa found throughout the CNS
Where are NMDA receptors found
in the dorsal horn
They can increase the receptors responsiveness to opiates
What is the descending system for control of pain transmission in the CNS
a system that originates in the brain and can inhibit synaptic pain transmission at dorsal horn
NT include endogenous opioids, serotonin, NE, and GABA
What cognitive and behavioral functions can decrease pain
Relaxation
Distraction
meditation
guided mental imagery
What can worsen pain
depression and anxiety
What is inflammatory pain
Body shifting from preventing tissue damage to promoting healing
Pain threshold is reduced and the injured area becomes more sensitive
What does adaptive inflammation do
decreases our contact with and movement of injured area, promoting healing
Increased excitability or responsiveness of neurons in CNS (central sensitization)
Central sensitization is a major cause of
hypersensitivity to pain after injury
What is neuropathic vs functional pain
Neuropathic: result of nerve damage (post-herpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy
Functional: abnormal operation of nervous system (fibromyalgia, IBS, HA)
-both are types of maladaptive pain!
How do patients describe neuropathic and functional pain
burning, tingling, shock like, or shooting
hyperalgesia (exaggerated pain response to normal noxious stimuli)
allodynia (pain response to normally non-noxious stimuli)
-Explains why this type of pain manifests long after actual nerve related injury is identified
What are some etiologies of cancer pain
The disease itself: tumor invasion, organ obstruction
Treatment: chemo, radiation, surgical incisions
Dx procedures: biopsy
Non-pharm therapies for acute and chronic pain are
physical manipulation
heat or cold application
massage
exercise
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (surgical, traumatic, neuropathy, and MSK pain)
Cognitive, behavioral, and social aspects of pain Tx
Pain is…
subjective
best diagnosed based on patient description, H&P
How can you obtain a baseline pain description
PPQRSTl
Palliative (what makes it better)
Provocative factors (what makes it worse)
Quality (describe the pain)
Radiation (and location)
Severity (how does it compare to other pain you’ve felt)
Temporal (intensity change with time)
Describe acute pain
- Not usually dependent or tolerant to medication
- No psych component, depression, or insomnia (usually)
- Tx goal is pain reduction
- Usually has identifiable cause
Describe chronic pain
- Usually dependent or tolerant to meds
- Psych often a major problem (depression common)
- Significant family issues
- Usually no identifiable cause
- Tx goal is functionality