NURSING 1I02 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Neuropathic Pain, Noxious Stimulus, Sympathetic Nervous System
27 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
How people behave when they"re in pain. Nociceptive pain: processing of noxious stimuli that occurs when free nerve endings are activated by tissue damage or inflammation. 1st step: transduction tissue damage by noxious stimulus (e. g. burn, tumor growth, incision) Damage cells release sensitizing and inflammatory substances: prostaglandins, bradykinin, histamine, serotonin and substance p which activates nociceptors resulting in generation of an electrical impulse. 2nd step: transmission synaptic transmission occurs. 3rd step: perception- brain interprets the intensity, quality and character of pain. 4th step: modulation increase or decrease in pain signal intensity. Acute pain: up to 6 months and is resolved with or without treatment after damaged area heals. Chronic pain: persists longer than 6 months, may not have identifiable cause and pain may by intermittent. Cancer pain: acute, chronic or both and may have multiple causes such as tumor growth and tissue necrosis. Breakthrough pain: certain periods of extreme pain, typically occurs between periods of taking pain medication.
