Acute Pain Papers

According to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), pain is defined as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described as such (SOURCE).” Since then, the psychology and subjectivity of pain made it even more complex to define pain. There are so many components to pain such as sensory, physical, psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual and how pain is perceived varies from person to person. There are also so many factors that contribute to the way pain is expressed such as culture and age. This paper will elaborate more about how pain associates with culture, pain in older adults, and also pain management. There are three types of pain that have been recognized by the healthcare profession: acute, chronic and cancer-related pain. Each of these types of pain will be discussed below.
Acute Pain Acute pain lasts for about six months and tends to reduce over time, in contrast to chronic pain, which can last beyond six months. Acute pain can occur after surgical procedure, …show more content…
As like with acute pain, those suffering with chronic pain can endure unwanted physiological and emotional effects. Problems with chronic pain are usually more severe than acute pain. The stress response in those with chronic pain is continuous, therefore, increases the chance of uncontrolled blood glucose, depression, interrupted sleep, poor nutrition, tumor growth and disability (SOURCE). In addition to those complications, uncontrolled pain can also function as an appetite suppressant, which can lead to further health issues. The emotional state of the person can have an effect on the level of pain one experiences. Fear and anxiety play a role in painful stimuli. Furthermore, it is important that health care providers understand that pain is not only physical but also