14 Questions
Visceral hyperalgesia can be associated with which of the following?
Nociceptive, neuropathic and/or an inflammatory process
What is a characteristic of visceral pain?
It is slow and poorly localized
Which of the following is NOT a cause of visceral hyperalgesia?
Appendicitis
What is the correlation between the intensity of visceral pain and the magnitude of internal organ damage?
Poor correlation
Visceral hyperalgesia can be associated with which of the following emotional responses?
Anxiety
What is the term for pain from normal physiological visceral stimulus due to increased sensitivity of that organ when there is no tissue insult?
Visceral sensitivity
What is the term for the type of pain that arises from neural sources in deep organs of the body?
True visceral pain
What is the term for the phenomenon where stimuli that are not normally painful are perceived as painful due to alterations in nerves carrying sensations from the viscera?
Visceral hyperalgesia
What is the term for the type of pain that is felt in a location other than the internal organ of origin?
Referred pain
What is the characteristic of true visceral pain in terms of its location?
It is felt in the midline, regardless of the internal organ of origin
What is a common cause of visceral pain?
All of the above
What is the term for the phenomenon where one sensitized organ causes sensitization of another visceral organ?
Viscero-visceral referral
What is the characteristic of visceral pain in terms of its localization?
It is poorly localized
Where is pain from the pancreas, gall bladder, duodenum, heart, stomach, and oesophagus typically felt?
Upper abdomen and lower sternum
Study Notes
Classification of Visceral Pain
- True visceral pain: arises from neural sources in deep organs of the body due to tissue insult
- Visceral hyperalgesia (visceral allodynia): non-noxious stimuli are interpreted as pain due to altered nerve sensitivity
- Referred pain: types include viscerovisceral, viscerosomatic, and somatovisceral referral
Overview of Visceral Pain
- High prevalence, e.g. renal colic, dysmenorrhoea, IBS, MI
- Pain arises from internal organs, including cardiac, airway, GI tract, and reproductive organs
- Prompt assessment is crucial due to potential life-threatening presentations
- Visceral pain is often difficult to distinguish from non-life-threatening syndromes due to its diffuse nature and changing nature over time
- Concurrence of visceral and somatic pain syndromes is common
True Visceral Pain
- Vague, diffuse, poorly defined sensation felt in the midline, regardless of internal organ origin
- Causes include infection, inflammation, mechanical stretch, neoplasm, ischaemia, and others
- Pain from upper abdominal organs is typically felt in the upper abdomen and lower sternum
- Poor correlation between pain intensity and internal organ damage magnitude
- Associated with strong emotional and autonomic responses
Visceral Hyperalgesia/Visceral Allodynia
- Slow and poorly localized, may not feel like pain
- Pain from normal physiological visceral stimuli due to increased sensitivity
- Associated with nociceptive, neuropathic, and/or inflammatory processes
- Can be triggered by traumatic events
- Causes include non-cardiac chest pain, functional dyspepsia, IBS, and others
Learn about the different types of visceral pain, including true visceral pain, visceral hyperalgesia, and referred pain. Understand the mechanisms and characteristics of each type.
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