MS Quiz 3 Ch 19: Drugs Used for Pain Management

Pain Definition

• Pain is defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage.

Pain Tolerance

• Pain tolerance refers to the maximum level of pain that an individual can withstand before seeking relief or reacting negatively.

Factors Decreasing Pain Tolerance

• Various factors such as stress, anxiety, fatigue, and previous pain experiences can decrease an individual's tolerance to pain.

Acute Pain vs. Chronic Pain

• Acute pain is a short-term sensation often resulting from injury or trauma and typically resolves as healing occurs.
• Chronic pain persists for an extended period, often lasting longer than six months, and may not have a clear link to ongoing tissue damage.

Influencing Factors in Pain Experience

• Psychological factors, cultural background, and previous pain experiences significantly influence the pain experience.
• Personal beliefs and expectations about pain also affect how individuals perceive and react to pain.

Pain Related to Tissue Damage

• Nociceptive pain is more closely related to ongoing tissue damage or chemicals released by surrounding cells during initial trauma.

Physiologic Effects of Sympathetic Nervous System

• Activation of the sympathetic nervous system in response to pain typically results in an increased heart rate and heightened alertness, but does not cause decreased blood pressure.

Causes of Chronic Pain

• Chronic pain can arise from conditions such as arthritis, neuropathy, or fibromyalgia, but it is not caused by acute injuries that heal normally.

Non-injurious Pain

• Sociopathic pain, which does not relate to injury and lacks physiological value, serves no current protective function.

Potential Sources of Chronic Pain

• Potential sources include injury, inflammation, and nerve damage, while psychological factors may not directly cause chronic pain.

Test your knowledge on drugs used for pain management in relation to the definition of pain by the International Association for the Study of Pain. Explore the factors influencing the pain experience, such as behavioral, physiological, sensory, emotional, and cultural aspects.