Chapter 6 - Pain Assessment

C fibers

Smaller, unmyelinated fibers that conduct pain impulses slowly and are associated with achy, ongoing pain.

A-delta fibers

Large, myelinated fibers that conduct pain impulses rapidly, associated with sharp or stabbing pain.

Nociceptors

Specialized nerve endings that detect pain stimuli and transmit pain signals to the central nervous system.

Substance P

A neuropeptide released by C fibers that accelerates the transmission of pain signals.

Bradykinin

A substance released at the site of injury that causes ongoing irritation.

Gate Control Theory

A theory suggesting that pain transmission depends on the balance of pain-facilitating and pain-blocking mechanisms.

Transduction

The process of converting pain-causing stimuli into electrical signals that the body can interpret.

Neuropathic pain

Pain resulting from nerve damage, characterized by symptoms like burning or tingling.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that helps block pain by inhibiting the release of glutamate.

Chronic pain

Long-term pain that lasts beyond the typical healing period, often without a clear cause.

Acute pain

Short-term pain resulting from injury or surgery, typically resolving with healing.

Phantom pain

Pain perceived in an area of the body that has been amputated.

Nociception

The sensory process that transmits pain signals from the body to the brain.

Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)

A pain measurement tool in which patients mark their pain level on a 100-mm line.

McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ)

A multidimensional tool that evaluates sensory pain using verbal descriptors and ratings.

Pain-Facilitating Substances

Substances like Substance P and Bradykinin that enhance pain signal transmission.

Pain-Blocking Substances

Substances like serotonin and GABA that inhibit pain signal transmission.