Question

2. An older adult has presented to the ED with back pain. He has been taking over-the-counter medication at home that is not helping.

●        What are the components of the nursing assessment for pain?

●        What considerations should be given to the older patient when prescribing pain medication?

●        What is the difference between Nociceptive and neuropathic pain?

Answer 1

●        What are the components of the nursing assessment for pain?

Ans : There are several factors that should be assessed

1. Take detailed history and physical assessment of the patient
2. Monitor patients behaviors and gestures that indicate pain such as crying, guarding, facial expressions etc
3. Monitor specific aspects of pain such as onset of pain and its duration, location of pain, quality of pain, intesity of pain and factors that aggrevation and alleviating pain
4. Take a detailed medication history
5. Ask for any history of disease or injury
6. Take a complete history of pain relief measures taken by the patient that include medications, suppliments, exersice, complimentary and alternative therapies.

●        What considerations should be given to the older patient when prescribing pain medication?

Always try to start with minimal drug dosage at first and then increase the amount of medicaion if necessary because older patients handle pain medication diffrently than younger patients. For example, due to kidney functions decline with age, there can be less effective filraton. The kidney can also be more susceptable to injury from certain types of pain medications. In addition, the liver undergoes a decrease in mass and blood flow with aging, making it harder for liver to breaking down some medications.

●        What is the difference between Nociceptive and neuropathic pain?

Nociceptive pain

It is caused by the ongoing activation of nociceptors responding to noxious stimuli such as inflamation, injury or disease. In this type of pain, the central nervous system is functioning appropriately. There is a clos association between the intensity of the stiulus and the perseption of pain, indicating real or potentia; tissue damage.

This type of pain can be felt mainly in areas like skin, tissues, muscles, tendons, joints, and bones

Neuropathic pain

This type of pain is caused by abnormal signals in the central or peripheral nervous systems, demonstratig injury or impairement. Causes of neuropathic pain may include inflammation, trauma, infections, tumors, metabolic diseases, toxins, or neurological disease.