Comfort and Pain Management Flashcards

This set of 50 vocabulary flashcards covers concepts related to pain management, including definitions, theories, the pain process, types of pain, assessment tools, and pharmacological interventions.

Pain (Definition)

Whatever the patient says that it is, whenever it is; a personal experience influenced by biologic, psychological, and social factors.

Gate Control Theory of Pain

Describes the transmission of painful stimuli and recognizes a relationship between pain and emotions.

Gating mechanism

The mechanism that determines which pain impulses reach the brain.

Transduction

The activation of pain receptors during the pain process.

Transmission

The conduction of pain along pathways, specifically A-delta and C-delta fibers.

Perception of pain

The stage in the pain process characterized by the awareness of the characteristics of pain.

Modulation

The inhibition or modification of pain within the pain process.

Neuromodulators

Substances such as endorphins, dynorphins, and enkephalins that act as modulators of pain.

Enkephalins

Modulators thought to reduce pain sensation by inhibiting the release of substance P from the terminals of afferent neurons.

Endorphins

Modulators released when certain measures are used to relieve pain.

Dynorphins

A type of neuromodulator released during pain relief interventions.

Nociceptors

The peripheral nerve fibers that transmit pain.

Acute Pain

Pain that is rapid in onset, varies in intensity and duration, and is protective in nature.

Chronic Pain

Pain that lasts beyond the normal healing period and may be limited, intermittent, or persistent.

Remission

A common period in chronic pain where symptoms are absent.

Exacerbation

A common period in chronic pain where symptoms reappear or worsen.

Cutaneous Pain

Pain that usually involves the skin or subcutaneous tissue.

Somatic Pain

Diffuse or scattered pain originating in tendons, ligaments, bones, blood vessels, and nerves.

Visceral Pain

Poorly localized pain that originates in body organs.

Referred Pain

Pain that originates in one part of the body and is perceived in an area distant to that part.

Nociceptive Pain

Pain categorized by its etiology as being related to the normal processing of pain stimuli.

Neuropathic Pain

Pain resulting from a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system.

Intractable Pain

Pain that is resistant to therapy and persists despite a variety of interventions.

Phantom Pain

Pain perceived in a body part that is no longer present.

Behavioral Responses

Voluntary responses to pain, such as grimacing or protecting the painful area.

Physiologic Responses

Involuntary responses to pain, such as increased blood pressure and pulse.

Affective Responses

Psychological responses to the pain experience.

Pain Threshold

The minimum intensity of a stimulus that is perceived as painful.

Adaptation

The process by which the body or mind adjusts to the presence of pain.

Quality (Pain Description)

Terms used to describe the nature of pain, such as sharp, dull, diffuse, or shifting.

Severity (Pain Description)

Terms used to describe pain intensity, such as severe, moderate, or slight.

Periodicity

The frequency or pattern of pain, categorized as continuous, intermittent, or brief.

Patient self-report

Recognized as the best judge of the existence and severity of pain.

0–10 Numeric Rating Scale

A standard tool used for the assessment of pain intensity.

CRIES Pain Scale

A pain assessment tool recommended for use with neonates and infants ages 0 to 6 months.

FLACC Behavioral Scale

A pain scale assessing Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability.

Wong–Baker FACES

A pain assessment tool using facial drawings to represent levels of pain intensity.

PAINAD

Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia scale.

CPOT

Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool.

FLACC (F)

The component representing 'Faces' in the FLACC behavioral scale.

FLACC (L)

The component representing 'Legs' in the FLACC behavioral scale.

FLACC (A)

The component representing 'Activity' in the FLACC behavioral scale.

Analgesic Trial

A method of pain assessment that involves attempting a dose of medication and monitoring results.

Sedation Scale S

Indicates the patient is asleep and easy to arouse; no action is necessary.

Sedation Scale Level 1

Indicates the patient is awake and alert; no action is necessary.

Sedation Scale Level 2

Indicates the patient is occasionally drowsy but easy to arouse; no action is necessary.

Sedation Scale Level 3

Indicates the patient is frequently drowsy and drifts off during conversation; necessitates a dosage reduction.

Sedation Scale Level 4

Indicates the patient is somnolent with minimal/no response; necessitates discontinuing the opioid and considering naloxone.

ATC (Around the Clock)

A medication administration schedule intended to maintain pain control, preferred over PRN for chronic pain.

Breakthrough Pain

Temporary flare-ups of pain that occurring despite managed medication regimens.