Pathophysiology Essay
Order Instructions:
The neurological system affects all parts and functions of the body through nerve stimulation. Nerves also control the sensation and perception of pain. While pain can be described in a variety of ways, it is essentially labeled according to its duration and source. As an advanced practice nurse evaluating a patient, you need to consider the following questions: Does the pain quickly come and go, or is it persistent and ongoing? Does the pain arise at the source of injury or in another location? In this Discussion, you compare three common types of pain—acute, chronic, and referred.
To prepare:
•Review this week’s media presentation on the neurological system, as well as Chapter 13 in the Huether and McCance text.
•Identify the pathophysiology of acute, chronic, and referred pain. Consider the similarities and differences between these three types of pain.
•Select two of the following patient factors: genetics, gender, ethnicity, age, or behavior. Reflect on how the factors you selected might impact the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and prescription of treatment for acute, chronic, and referred pain.
Post on or before Day 3 a description of the pathophysiology of acute, chronic, and referred pain, including similarities and differences between them. Then, explain how the factors you selected might impact the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and prescription of treatment for acute, chronic, and referred pain.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Pathophysiology
Acute pain is sharp and normally occurs abruptly in the neurological systems. This type of pain often depicts ailments in the body associated with infection. The pain sensation begins when the peripheral receptors become triggered, transmitted trough the spinal cord to the cerebral cortex; leading to interpretation of unpleasant sensation (pain) and discomfort. It normally ends as healing continues. Chronic pain is more of a continuation of the unpleasant sensation after injuries. The transmission process is through the dorsal horn in the spinal cord to the cerebral cortex. On the other hand, referred pain includes pain, which is not localized in the stimulus site. However, there is no exact pathophysiology for referred pain, but it is suggested that sympathetic fibers are affected forming painful sensations in other body organs (Bullock & Hayes, 2012. P.461)
These three types of pain are similar is that point of sensation is through peripheral receptors at the site of injury. Secondly, all the three types of pain involve the neurologic system and its implication on the overall person health i.e. weakening the immune system. The differences includes that chronic pain is usually persistent and manifests for a long period of time. On the other hand, acute pain is abrupt. Point of stimulation also differs, for instance, referred pain point of stimulation is usually different from the infection site, unlike the other two types of pain (Allerton, 2013, P. 8).
Age and genetics affects the pathophysiological process of acute, chronic as well as referred pain. Genetic factors influence person’s ability to preserver pain, and rate of spread of infection. On the other hand, age influences the healing process, and spread of pain. Research indicates that pain spreads at a faster rate and more severe in elderly than in youth (Allerton, 2013, p. 4).
Reference List
Bullock, S., & Hayes,M. (2012). The principles of pathophysiology. Philadelphia: Pearson Higher Education AU.
Allerton, C., & Fox, D. Pain therapeutics. Cambridge. The Royal Society of Chemistry. https://www.bookdepository.com/Pain-Therapeutics-Charlotte-Allerton/9781849736459
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