Classification of Pain According To Duration

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PAIN

Pain is an essential survival mechanism that can be helpful in diagnosing a problem.

Classification of pain according to duration


Acute: It’s the kind of pain that you feel for a short term. Acute pain may be caused by many events
or circumstances such as: Broken bones Dental work Burns or cuts Labor
and childbirth
Chronic: It’s the kind of pain that lasts longer than 3 months, often despite the fact that an injury has
healed. For example: Cancer pain Arthritis pain Low back pain

Classification of pain according to location


Somatic Pain: It’s the kind of pain that you feel on the skin, muscle, joints, bones and ligaments.
Somatic pain is generally sharp and well localized.
Visceral Pain: It’s the kind of pain that you feel in the internal organs and main body cavities.
Visceral pain is more difficult to localize than somatic pain. The sensation is more likely to be a vague
deep ache.

Classification of pain according to pathogenesis


Nociceptive Pain: It’s the kind of pain that you feel when you have a paper cut, a broken bone, or
appendicitis, among other things. It is caused when special nerve endings—called nociceptors—are
irritated. Nociceptive pain can usually be controlled and responds well to pain medications, anti-
inflammatory agents, or other drug therapies.
Neuropathic Pain: It’s the kind of pain that originates from the nerves between the tissues and the
spinal cord (peripheral nervous system) and the nerves between the spinal cord and the brain (central
nervous system). Neuropathic pain can be caused by nerve degeneration, as might be the case in a
stroke, multiple-sclerosis, or oxygen starvation. Phantom pain is pain felt in a part of the body that
has been amputated, or from which the brain no longer receives signals.

Classification of pain according to intensity


Mild: It’s the kind of pain that allows you to accomplish activities of daily life.
Moderate: It’s the kind of pain that interferes with activities of daily life.
Severe: It’s the kind of pain that interferes with everything.

Classification of pain according to the origin

Physical: It’s the kind of pain most people refer to when they say something hurts on their body and
is associated with damage to tissues of their body.
Referred Pain
Also known as Reflective Pain. When pain is felt either next to, or at a distance from the origin
of
an injury. For example, when a person has a heart attack, even though the affected area is the
heart, the pain is sometimes felt around the shoulders, back and neck, rather than in the chest

Psychological: It’s the kind of pain that is of non-physical origin. Psychological pain is also called
mental pain or emotional pain.
Spiritual: It’s the kind of pain that comes from the hidden areas of our life. It makes us re-evaluate
the meaning of life and think more deeply about our beliefs and relationships.
Describing Pain

Tingling pain feels like pins and needles


Throbbing pain comes and goes rhythmically Other types of pain:
Sharp pain is strong and sudden
Burning pain feels like fire unbearable pain
Stabbing pain feels like something sharp is stuck into you constant pain
Shooting pain travels fast along part of your body occasional pain
Gnawing pain feels like it is eating you slight pain
Cramping pain feels like a muscle is being squeezed agonizing pain
Dull ache is steady/constant and not too painful
Measuring Pain
Types of Pain Scales

Verbal Rating Numerical Rating Scales Visual Analogue Scales


Scales
They consist of a They consist of a series of numbers They consist of a series of faces
series of words usually ranging from 0 to 10. expressing the kind of pain a patient is
commonly used feeling.
to describe pain.
(1) No pain,
(2) Mild pain,
(3) Moderate
pain,
(4) Severe pain,
(5) Unbearable
pain.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Pain Scales


Advantages: They are simple and minimally intrusive tests that are effective and easy to administer
and score.
Disadvantages: They cannot be used in all patients. They may be ineffective in patients who have
cognitive or motor problems, in patients who are unresponsive, and in young children and elderly
patients.

Questions to assess pain

LOCATION Where is the pain?


Where does it hurt?
Where do you have pain?
DURATION How long does it last?
Does it hurt all the time?
When did it start?
INTENSITY How much does it hurt?
How much does it hurt in a scale from 1 to 10?
Rate your pain from 1 to 10.
TYPE OF PAIN What do you feel?
What does the pain feel like?
Can you describe the pain?
BETTER / WORSE Does anything make the pain feel better?
Does anything make the pain feel worse?
What makes the pain feel better?
What makes the pain feel worse?

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