Week 2 (ch. 4-7) Flashcards
Etiology of pain
Infection Ischemia Tissue necrosis Stretching inflammation Chemicals Burns
Somatic pain
Conducted by sensory nerves
- skin, bone, muscle
Visceral pain
Sympathetic nerve fibers
- organs
Nociceptors
Pain receptors
What kind of nerve endings do nociceptors have
Sensory nerve endings
What are nociceptors stimulated by?
Thermal, chemical, or mechanical/physical stimuli
Where are nociceptors located?
Present in most tissues
Pain threshold
Level of stimulation needed to activate pain receptors
Describe the pathway in which nociceptors allow you to feel pain
Nociceptors, spinal chord, pain
Dermatome
Spinal nerve impulse from certain area of the skin
— used to test areas of sensory loss or pain
What does dermatome help us figure out?
Helps us determine the site of spinal cord injury
Pain response involved what?
Involves responses such as stress response, emotional response, physical response
Gate control theory
Built into pathways
- modify entry of pain to spinal chord and brain
- can be open or closed
—> open allows pain to continue on path
—> closed reduces or modifies the path of pain impulses
Gate control theory: what causes closed gates to occur
Closed gates occur do to other sensory stimuli that diminish the pain sensation
Ex. Ice
Describe the analgesia system
Release of opiate-like chemicals (endorphins, serotonin)
- block pain impulse
- secreted by inter neurons in the CNS
Signs / symptoms of pain
Elevated BP
Tachycardia (increased heart beat)
Restless / lack of movement
Guarding
Referred pain
Pain felt in an area away from the source of the pain due to sensory fibers from different sources connecting at a single level of the spinal cord
- ex. Left neck / arm pain source is ischemia in the heart (heart attack)
Phantom pain
Perceived pain in lost limb
- doesn’t respond to typical pain therapy
- resolves in weeks to months
- not fully understood
Perception of pain
Depends on many factors different from person to person
Acute pain
Sudden, sharp Localized or generalized Thermal and physical Tissue damage - skin and mucosa membranes Short term
What fibers are responsible for acute pain?
A delta fibers
Chronic pain
Dull, aching, burning Generalized Thermal, physical, chemical Muscle, tendons, myocardium, digestive, skin Long term, debilitating
What fibers are responsible for chronic pain
C fibers
Central pain
Due to damage of brain or spinal cord
- localized or large area
- persistent
Ex. Tumor on spinal cord