Psychology 2036A/B Study Guide - Final Guide: Lesley Collier, Chronic Pain, Posterior Grey Column

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2036A/B
• Professor: Doug Hazlewood

Document Summary

Serious and prevalent health problem; costs up to billion/yr. Most common medical complaint: most likely to send people to seek treatment and what they fear most about treatment. Can be short term acute, or continuous and long term. Pain is in uenced by psychological factors: beecher"s observations; surgeon during wwii. Severely wound soldiers, 25% requested morphine, didn"t experience a lot of pain. Civilian surgery patients (less damage), 80% request morphine, experienced a lot of pain. Differences in meaning of pain; soldiers (war is over/going home) = good thing, civilians (beginning long recovery that will disrupt life) = bad thing: other psychological factors: perceived control over pain, focus of attention. Pain is puzzling bc there is often no direct relation bw physical injury and experience of pain. Gate-control theory of pain: physiology of pain reception. Body experience tissue damage: algogenic substances released at site of damage; activate immune system, cause in ammation, free nerve endings stimulated in damaged area (nociceptors)