Concept Map: Pain

Long Description

Pain concept map description: This is a concept map that shows the components of pain. It starts with the definition for pain: an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. Then, the concept map continues through the following categories:

Scope

• Minimal
• Moderate
• Severe

Variations

• Acute
• Chronic
• Nociceptive
• Neuropathic

Assessment

• pain scale
• vital signs
• non-verbal (grimacing, moaning, guarding)
• adverse effects of opioids (respiratory depression nausea, pruritis, constipation)

Management

• non-opioids (acetaminophen, salicylates, NSAIDs )
• opioids (morphine, hydromorphone, fentanyl; Routes – epidural, PCA, tablets, & PRN due to breakthrough pain)
• adjuvant (baclofen, cyclobenzaprine)
• Anesthetic (local, regional, general)
• Naloxone (for opioid overdose)

Consequences

• Goal
  • pain control
• complications of unrelieved pain
  • physiological stress response
  • impaired mobility
  • chronic pain
  • sleep disturbances

Physiological Process

• Transduction
  • tissue injury & inflammation activate nociceptors
• Transmission
  • C fibres transmit the pain impulse to the spinal cord  and activate 2nd order neurons that transmit the impulse to the brain
• Perception
  • pain is perceived and responses are activated
• Modulation