Pain Mgmt RN key terms

The nervous system's process of detecting and transmitting signals from tissue damage or potential damage through sensory nerves, spinal cord pathways, and the brain, where the sensation becomes conscious pain.

Pain arising from actual or threatened damage to body tissues outside the nervous system, such as muscles, joints, skin, or organs; usually described as aching, throbbing, or cramping and often responsive to standard analgesics.

Pain caused by injury or malfunction of the nervous system itself, as in diabetes, shingles, stroke, or nerve compression; often described as burning, shooting, electric, or tingling and may respond poorly to ordinary analgesics.

Increased excitability of neurons in the spinal cord and brain after repeated or intense pain signals, so pain is amplified and ordinary stimuli become painful; it underlies many persistent pain conditions.

An exaggerated pain response to a stimulus that normally causes only mild pain, reflecting heightened nervous system sensitivity; it can signal central sensitization or opioid-induced hyperalgesia.

Pain produced by a stimulus that is not normally painful, such as light touch, a bedsheet, or cool air on the skin; a hallmark of neuropathic and centrally sensitized pain states.

Painful sensations felt in a body part that has been amputated, arising from nervous system reorganization rather than the missing tissue; it may be burning, cramping, or shooting and often needs specialized treatment.

A pain screening tool in which the patient rates pain intensity from 0, meaning no pain, to 10, meaning the worst pain imaginable; practical for adults and older children who can report numbers.

Using two or more analgesic drugs or techniques with different mechanisms together, so each dose can be lower and side effects are reduced while relief improves; the standard for postoperative and acute pain.

A state in which repeated opioid exposure reduces response, so a higher dose is needed for the same effect; it is expected in long-term opioid therapy and is not the same as addiction.

A paradoxical state in which opioid use makes a person more sensitive to pain rather than less, with pain spreading or worsening despite escalating doses; it requires careful assessment and differs from tolerance or withdrawal.

The most dangerous opioid side effect, in which opioids blunt the brain's drive to breathe, producing slow or shallow respirations, low oxygen, sedation, and possible death; risk rises with dose and combined sedatives.

The dose of one analgesic that produces roughly the same pain relief as a given dose of another, used when converting between opioids or routes to protect patients from overdose or withdrawal.

An opioid antagonist that quickly reverses opioid effects, including respiratory depression, by blocking opioid receptors; it does not reverse non-opioid sedation and may precipitate withdrawal in opioid-dependent patients.

A drug whose main purpose is not pain relief but that helps certain pain types, such as antidepressants or anticonvulsants for nerve pain or corticosteroids for swelling; often combined with standard analgesics.

A potentially life-threatening buildup of serotonin, usually from combining serotonergic drugs such as some antidepressants, tramadol, or triptans, causing agitation, tremor, fever, and rapid heart rate; report immediately.

The upper limit of acetaminophen intake in 24 hours, generally 3,000 to 4,000 mg for healthy adults and lower with liver disease, heavy alcohol use, or malnutrition; exceeding it risks severe liver injury.

A pump that lets the patient press a button to self-administer a prescribed small opioid dose within set limits, improving control and satisfaction; the nurse verifies settings and monitors sedation and breathing.

Giving analgesic treatment before a painful procedure or surgery to prevent pain signals from creating nervous system sensitization, which can lower total pain and opioid requirements afterward.

Delivery of local anesthetic and/or opioid through a catheter into the epidural space beside the spinal cord, blocking pain for labor, surgery, or trauma; requires monitoring for hypotension, motor block, and breathing problems.

Injection of local anesthetic around a specific nerve or nerve group to numb a body region for surgery or pain control; nurses monitor sensation, movement, and signs of local anesthetic toxicity.

A procedure that uses heat generated by radio waves to destroy selected nerve tissue and interrupt pain signals, offering longer relief for certain chronic pain conditions such as facet joint or nerve-root pain.

A surgically implanted pump and catheter that delivers small medication amounts directly into the fluid around the spinal cord, giving strong relief with fewer systemic effects; requires refills and careful monitoring.

Using sedative and pain-relieving drugs to keep a patient comfortable and still during a procedure while maintaining breathing and responsiveness; requires monitoring, airway readiness, and discharge criteria.

A device delivering mild electrical pulses through skin electrodes to reduce pain, thought to work through gate control and endorphin release; a non-drug, adjustable adjunct that nurses help patients use safely.

A structured psychological treatment that helps people change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors related to pain and learn coping skills such as relaxation and pacing; it improves function and distress rather than erasing pain.

A rehabilitation technique using a mirror to create the illusion of movement in an affected limb, which can reduce phantom limb pain and some complex regional pain syndrome symptoms by retraining the brain.

Planning activity and rest in balanced blocks so a person avoids the boom-and-bust cycle of overdoing and then crashing, protecting function and reducing pain flares in persistent pain conditions.

A pattern of magnifying pain's threat and feeling helpless about it, which raises distress, disability, and pain intensity; recognizing it helps nurses target reassurance, education, and coping support.

A chronic condition, usually after injury, with severe burning pain, swelling, skin color and temperature changes, and sensitivity out of proportion to the original damage; early recognition and rehabilitation improve outcomes.

A treatable medical condition with loss of control over opioid use, craving, and continued use despite harm; it is not the same as physical dependence or tolerance, and affected patients still deserve adequate pain relief.

Any behavior suggesting misuse of prescribed medication, such as early refill requests, lost prescriptions, or using drugs from other sources; it warrants assessment, not automatic dismissal, and should be documented objectively.

A palliative care concept that suffering includes physical, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions, so effective relief requires addressing all of them rather than treating the physical symptom alone.

The carefully considered use of sedating medication to relieve unbearable, refractory symptoms in a dying patient, with informed consent; the intent is comfort, not hastening death.

An observational scale scoring breathing, negative vocalization, facial expression, body language, and consolability from 0 to 10 for patients with advanced dementia who cannot self-report pain.

A temporary flare of severe pain that occurs despite otherwise controlled background pain, often sudden and short-lived; it needs a plan with a rapid-onset analgesic and reassessment after each dose.

Applying consistent risk screening, agreements, urine testing, and monitoring to every patient receiving opioids rather than singling out individuals by appearance or diagnosis, which reduces bias and improves safety.

Explaining a procedure's purpose, benefits, risks, alternatives, and what happens if declined, then confirming the patient's voluntary agreement; the nurse verifies and supports understanding before proceeding.