Pain types
Different types of pain can be distinguished, for example according to duration and the source of the pain. The pain may be acute or chronic:
- Acute pain is defined as pain of recent onset and likely to be of limited duration, usually with an established temporal and causal relationship to injury or disease (Ready & Edwards, 1992), often as a result of illness, trauma or surgery.
- Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists beyond the point at which healing is expected to be complete (generally a period of three months). Chronic pain can also occur in disease processes where healing does not occur and can also be experienced when there is no evidence of tissue damage (Harstall & Ospina, 2003). Chronic pain rarely occurs without other comorbidities. The NANDA uses a period of six months instead of three months in its definition of chronic pain.
In regard to the source of the pain, it can be nociceptive, neuropathic or central pain:
- Nociceptive pain is caused by stimulation of the nerve endings and is pain that indicates tissue damage (skin, muscle, bone, intestines). The pain can be a stabbing and/or nagging feeling and can be both chronic and acute.
- Neuropathic pain is caused by direct nerve damage or a dysfunction of the nervous system, for example by the growth of a tumour or by a hernia. This pain often feels like burning or tingling.
- In central pain, pain stimuli are generated in the brain itself after damage. This can occur after a stroke and is then called post-stroke pain or as a result of another brain injury, for example vascular dementia.
References:
https://richtlijnendatabase.nl/richtlijn/wondzorg_bij_acute_traumatische_en_chirurgische_wonden/wondzorg_pijnbestrijding.html Zie: wondzorg pijnbestrijding, bijlagen, definities
Bleijenberg N. & Van der Sande, J. in: Bakker T . (2019) Klinisch redeneren bij ouderen. Functiebehoud in levensloopperspectief. Bohn Stafleu van Loghum