Pain- 5th vital sign

- “An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue
damage”

Pathophysiology of pain- gate control model

- Proposed by melzack and wall in 1965

- This model emphasizes the importance of the central nervous system mechanism of pain

Nociception- the process in which the pain stimulus is conducted to the central nervous system and
perceive as pain.

Nociceptors- these are sensory receptors or peripheral nerve endings that convert pain stimulus into a
nerve impulse.

- They respond to painful stimuli and can be found in the skin, subcutaneous tissue joints, wall of
arteries and most internal organs.

Type of stimuli

Mechanical-