Paper Example on Pathophysiology of Acute, Chronic, and Referred Pain

Introduction

Acute pain is sharp, instantaneous and arises within the neurologic system as an indicator of illness or possible infection in an individual. The pain is instigated by a trigger of peripheral receptors in the body which in turn, results in displeasing sensations in the nervous system (Vasudevan, 2015). The pain travels through the spinal cord to reach the cerebral cortex which interprets it in the confines of the neurologic system.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

A chronic pain is persistent even after the complete healing of the injury from which it resulted. Nociceptive transmission, a vital factor in the pathophysiology of chronic pain takes place in the dorsal horn, thereby presenting painful sensations in the nervous system (Vasudevan, 2015). The continued pain is as a result of the irreversible nature of the functional composition of nerve fibres.

The referred pain is felt in different areas other than its place of origin. Pain referral occurs due to the convergence of sensory nerve fibres relaying different information to the neurologic system terminating on the same second-order neurons, thus causing ambiguity of the specific region of the noxious stimuli (Murray, 2009).

Similarities and Differences

The primary similarity between the three forms of pain is that they manifest unpleasant sensations in a person's neurologic system and can be managed using available pain relievers. The nature of occurrence distinguishes acute, chronic and referred pain. For instance, acute pain is sharp and sudden while chronic pain is felt continuously even after the recovery of the resultant injury. On the other hand, referred pain is experienced in a completely different part from its origin.

Genetics and Gender

A person's genetic composition may have an impact on the pathophysiology of pain since the degree of painful sensations in individuals varies due to the difference in the genes that determine its sensitivity (Young, Lariviere, & Belfer, 2012). For instance, the genetic make-up influences the susceptibility and persistence of chronic pain in a patient. The genomic variations require that physicians offer treatment having considered an individual's genetic code (Young et al., 2012).

The gender of a patient also impacts their sensitivity to pain and the mode of treatment. Studies show that women perceive more pain and have a lower perseverance rate compared to their male counterparts (Wandner, Scipio, Hirsh, Torres, & Robinson, 2012). Men are less likely to report painful sensations and are given more pain medications in comparison to women (Wandner et al., 2012).

References

Murray, G. (2009). Referred pain. Journal of Applied Oral Science, 17(6). doi: 10.1590/s1678-77572009000600001

Vasudevan, S. (2015). Multidisciplinary management of chronic pain: A practical guide for clinicians. Springer.

Wandner, L. D., Scipio, C. D., Hirsh, A. T., Torres, C. A., & Robinson, M. E. (2012). The perception of pain in others: how gender, race, and age influence pain expectations. The Journal of Pain, 13(3), 220-227. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2011.10.014

Young, E. E., Lariviere, W. R., & Belfer, I. (2012). Genetic basis of pain variability: Recent Advances. Journal of Medical Genetics, 49(1), 10.1136/jmedgenet-2011-100386. http://doi.org/10.1136/jmedgenet-2011-100386