1. Pain

2. How does pain start? Nociceptors Nociceptors Recognize change in environment, send message through nerve to spinal cord to your brain.

3. www.homeorizon.com/.../pain_pathway.gif

4. An area of the spinal cord called the dorsal horn acts as an information hub, simultaneously directing impulses to the brain and back down the spinal cord to the area of injury. An area of the spinal cord called the dorsal horn acts as an information hub, simultaneously directing impulses to the brain and back down the spinal cord to the area of injury. The brain does not have to tell your foot to move away from the rock, because the dorsal horn has already sent that message. The brain does not have to tell your foot to move away from the rock, because the dorsal horn has already sent that message. If your brain is the body’s CEO, then the spinal cord is middle management. If your brain is the body’s CEO, then the spinal cord is middle management.

5. Pain Signal continues so brain can heal area of injury and make sense of what just happened. Pain Signal continues so brain can heal area of injury and make sense of what just happened. the impulse goes to the thalamus, cortex, and limbic system, where it is processed the impulse goes to the thalamus, cortex, and limbic system, where it is processed

6. Limbic system is the emotional center of the brain Limbic system is the emotional center of the brain

7. The limbic system decides your emotional response to the stimulus. The limbic system decides your emotional response to the stimulus. Pain is more than just cause and effect-it is affected by everything that is going on in your nervous system. Pain is more than just cause and effect-it is affected by everything that is going on in your nervous system.

8. Where does pain come from? Cutaneous Pain Cutaneous Pain Visceral Pain Visceral Pain Neuropathic Pain- Neuropathic Pain- Acute Pain- Acute Pain- Chronic Pain-pain that lasts longer than 6 months Chronic Pain-pain that lasts longer than 6 months Referred Pain Referred Pain Phantom pain Phantom pain

9. http://painconsortium.nih.gov/pain_scales/index.html

10. How to treat pain? Drugs! Drugs! Narcotics; non narcotics; placebos Surgical repair Surgical repair Nondrug/nonsurgical interventions Nondrug/nonsurgical interventions Imagery; relaxation, thermal applications; meditation; distraction; biofeedback; Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS); acupuncture; acupressure