PAIN-ACUTE VS. CHRONIC

SUMMARY

1. The purpose of nociception is to alert the organism to this potential damage so that avoidance behavior can be initiated.

2. In contrast, chronic pain states represent injury to the CNS that serves no real protective role, reflecting a pathologic as opposed to physiologic state.

3. Chronic pain is designated > 3 months after the initiating event and may not be associated with any ongoing noxious event or pathologic process.

4. 4 general processes of acute & chronic pain: transduction, transmission, modulation & perception.

Reference(s)

Cifu, D.X. (2020). Braddom’s physical medicine and rehabilitation. Elsevier. Get it on Amazon.
Cuccurullo, S. (2019). Physical medicine and rehabilitation board review. New York: Demosmedical. Get it on Amazon.
O’Young, B., Young, M.A. and Stiens, S.A. (2008). Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Secrets. Mosby. Get it on Amazon.