Pain Management Fundamentals

📋 Course Outline

1. Pain Classification
2. Pain Assessment Tools
3. Opioid Receptor Action
4. Types of Opioids
5. Opioid Pharmacokinetics
6. Opioid Side Effects
7. NSAID Mechanism
8. NSAID Types
9. NSAID Pharmacokinetics
10. NSAID Risks
11. Analgesic Categories
12. Non-Opioid Analgesics

📖 1. Pain Classification

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Acute Pain: Sudden onset pain lasting less than three months, usually directly related to tissue injury or illness, serving as a warning signal.
• Chronic Pain: Persistent pain lasting longer than three months, often without clear ongoing tissue damage, affecting quality of life and requiring long-term management.
• Nociceptive Pain: Pain resulting from activation of nociceptors due to tissue injury or inflammation; typically described as aching or sharp.
• Neuropathic Pain: Pain caused by damage or dysfunction of the nervous system, often characterized as burning, shooting, or tingling.
• Visceral Pain: Pain originating from internal organs, often dull, poorly localized, and associated with autonomic symptoms.
• Somatic Pain: Pain arising from skin, muscles, joints, or bones, usually well localized and described as sharp or throbbing.