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Taylor Fundamentals of Nursing chapter 34

Terms in this set (33)

acute pain
episode of pain that lasts from seconds to less than 6 months.
addiction
a pattern of compulsive use of addictive substances for means other than those prescribed.
adjuvant
drugs typically used for other purposes, but also used to enhance the effect of opioids by proving additional pain relief.
analgesic
pharmaceutical agent used to relieve pain.
breakthrough pain
temporary flare-up of moderate to sever pain that occurs when when the patient is taking around-the-clock medication for persistent pain.
chronic pain
episode of pain that lasts for 6 months or long; may be intermittent or continuous.
cutaneous pain
superficial pain usually involving the skin or subcutaneous tissue.
dynorphin
the endorphin having the most potent analgesic effect.
endorphins
morphine-like substances released by the body that appear to alter the perception of pain.
enkephalins
opioids that are widespread throughout the brain and dorsal horn of the spinal cord and are believed to reduce pain sensation by inhibiting the release of substance P.
exacerbation
period in chronic illness when the symptoms of the disease reappear.
gate control theory
theory that explains that excitatory pain stimuli carried by small-diameter nerve fibers can be clocked by inhibiting signals carried by large-diameter nerve fibers.
intractable
severe pain that is extremely resistant to relief measures.
modulation
process by which the sensation of pain is inhibited or modified.
neuromodulators
endogenous opioid chemical regulators that appear to have analgesic activity and alter pain perception.
neuropathic pain
pain that results from an injury to or abnormal function of peripheral nerves or the CNS.
neurotransmitters
substances that either excite or inhibit target nerve cells.
nociceptors
pain receptors.
opioid
more correct term for narcotic analgesics; since these drugs act by binding to opiate receptor sites in the CNS.
pain threshold
amount of stimulation required before a person experiences the sensation of pain.
pain tolerance
pain beyond which a person is no longer willing to endure pain.
perception
conscious process of organizing and interpreting data from the senses into meaningful information.
phantom pain
sensation of pain without demonstrable physiologic or pathologic substance; commonly observed after the amputation of a limb
physical dependence
phenomenon in which the body physiologically becomes accustomed to an opioid and suffers withdrawal symptoms if the opioid is suddenly removed or the dose is rapidly decreased.
placebo
latin word meaning "I shall please"; an inactive substance that gives satisfaction to the person using it.
psychogenic pain
pain for which no physical cause can be identified.
referred pain
pain in an area removed from that in which stimulation has its origin.
remission
period in a chronic illness when the disease is present, but the person does not experience symptoms of the disease.
somatic pain
pain originating in structures in the body's external wall.
tolerance
occurrence of the body's becoming accustomed to an opioid and needing a larger dose each time for pain relief.
transduction
activation of pain receptors.
transmission
conduction of pain sensations from the site of an injury or inflammation along clear and unclear pathways to the spinal cord and then on to higher centers.
visceral pain
pain originating in the internal organs in the thorax, cranium or abdomen.
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