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Acute vs. Chronic Pain

Acute Pain• Pain duration of less than 3 to 6 months• Causes activation of nociceptive pain pathway at site

of tissue damage/injury• Resolves with healing of underlying pathology• Lack of treatment may lead to chronic pain

Chronic Pain• Pain duration of more than 3 to 6 months • Pain which persists beyond course of acute disease

or after healing of tissue• May be caused by injury or disease

Categories of Pain

Principles of Pain Assessment

• Pain should be assessed in all patients (JCAHO Standard PE 1.4, 2000)

• Patient’s self-report is the single most reliable indicator of pain absent of objective report

• Physiological and behavioral signs of pain (tachycardia, grimacing, etc. ) are neither sensitive nor specific for pain

• Uniform threshold of pain does not exist because pain tolerances vary among individuals

• Unrelieved pain causes adverse health effects both physically and psychologically

• Assessment should address physical and psychological aspects of pain

Questions?