A patient in sickle cell crisis states that the pain is lessened when watching television. The patient's physiological response is best attributed to which of the following?
a. The perception of pain
b. Nociceptor stimulation
c. A negative protective reflex response
d. The application of the gate control theory
D
The gate control theory gives you a way to understand pain-relief measures. The gate control theory of Melzack and Wall (1996) suggests that gating mechanisms along the central nervous system can regulate and possibly block pain impulses. The gating mechanism occurs within the spinal cord, thalamus, reticular formation, and limbic system. Closing the gate is the basis for nonpharmacological pain-relief interventions. The gate control theory suggests the importance of psychological variables (thoughts and feelings) and physiological sensations in the perception of pain. Pain is perceived in the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS extracts information such as location, duration, and quality. Nociceptors, the receptors that respond to harmful stimuli, convert the original stimuli into a pain impulse (transduction). A positive protective response occurs with pain.
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