Pain is an "an unpleasant sensory and/or emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage "
(IASP)
Acute Pain
Pain of recent onset, limited duration and with an identifiable cause
Pain is <3months duration
It is important to remember that pain is a protective evolutionary mechanism!
Transitional Pain
Transitional pain is a relatively novel concept
Covers the period during which there is peripheral and central sensitisation of nociceptors
Is a period of potential intervention to prevent chronic pain arising
Chronic Pain
Pain that persists after both removal of the stimulus and the normal recovery period i.e. after the initial injury has healed
Pain that persists for >3 months
Chronic pain is always pathological; has no physiological value and almost always negatively impacts on function/psychological wellbeing
Nociceptive pain
Pain which arises from actual or threatened damage to non-neural tissue, due to noxious stimulation of nociceptors
Can be further subdivided into:
Superficial somatic pain (e.g. skin) - well localised, sharp pain
