PSYC-307 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Neuropathic Pain, Tramadol, Proenkephalin
14 Dec 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
The thalamus sorts and organizes the sensory input and then ascends further (aids description: sharp, dull, burning pain etc) Different treatments target one or the other, different perspectives (patient versus physician) may emphasize different understandings. Neuropathic pain: abnormal pain, due to changes in the brain or the fibres. Typically a problem with or the receptors themselves. Altered threshold: sensitization to pain, reducing stimulation will produce increasing reactions (even touch to the area is painful) Diabetes or alcohol related neuropathies: circulation issues may damage nerves in diabetes, substance abuse also damages nerves. Numbness an issue for diabetics, combined with immunosuppression, higher rate of infection. Allodynia: a condition where most people would have simple sensation of touch, the person has extreme pain with touch. Phantom limb pain: in the somatosensory area there is a rewiring; Mirrorbox treatment for extremepain: works to rewire the sensory cortex. Endogenous opioids in the periaqueductal gray--pag (beta endorphins, proenkephalin, prodynorphin) all inhibit pain.
