PAIN-DEFINITION

SUMMARY

1. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage".

2. Pain serves a warning system designed to protect the organism from harm.

3. With chronicity and neuraxial pathology, however, the nociceptive system can become maladaptive and reflect endogenous pathology instead of an exogenous state.

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

5. Categories: nociceptive, neuropathic, nociplastic.

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.