pain

5th VITAL SIGN

 An unpleasant sensory and
emotional experience, which we
PAIN primarily associate with tissue
damage or describe in terms of
such damage (IASP, 2011)
 Pain is whatever the
PAIN person says it is.
(McCaffery & Pasero, 1999)
Pathophysiology
of pain
 Anxiety, fear, hopelessness,
helplessness
Physiologic
response Sleep disturbance
to  Reports of pain, moaning, frowning,
facial grimacing

PAIN  Decreased cognitive fxn, mental confusion,

altered mood, high somatization, dilated pupil

Increased HR, RR, BP

Characteristics
of pain
intensity
Pain threshold
Vs.
Pain Tolerance
timing
location
quality
Personal
meaning
Aggravating
&
alleviating
factors
Classification
of pain
 Acute
pain
Associated with recent injury;
< 6 months
 Chronic
pain
associated with a specific cause or
injury and described as a constant
pain that persists for more than 6
months
 Cancer
pain
due to the compression of peripheral
nerves or meninges or from the damage to
these structures following surgery,
chemotherapy, radiation, or tumor
growth and infiltration
Cutaneous
pain
skin or
subcutaneous tissue
Visceral
pain
abdominal cavity,
thorax, cranium
 Deep
somatic
pain
ligaments, tendons, bones,
blood vessels, nerves
7 dimensions
of pain
 Assessment
tool for pain
PAIN-
FOCUSED
ASSESSMENT
TOOL