What is the definition of physical dependence? Physical dependence is a state of adaptation that is manifested by a drug class–specific withdrawal syndrome that can be produced by abrupt cessation, rapid dose reduction, decreasing blood level of the drug, and/or administration of an antagonist. The term applies to non-opioid medications as well.
What is meant by the term addiction? Addiction has been defined as a primary, chronic neurobiologic disease, with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. It is characterized by behaviors that include one or more of the following: impaired control over drug use, compulsive use, continued use despite harm, and craving. Tolerance may …
What is palliative care? The World Health Organization defines palliative care as “The active total care of patients, controlling pain and minimizing emotional, social, and spiritual problems at a time when disease is not responsive to active treatment.” In a broader sense, it is usually taken to mean the alleviation of symptoms when the primary …
What is the difference between primary and secondary pain syndromes? In primary pain syndromes, the pain itself is the disease. Examples include migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, and cluster headache. A secondary pain syndrome is due to an underlying (often structural) cause—for example, trigeminal neuralgia due to a tumor pressing on the cranial nerve. One of the …
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What is meralgia paresthetica? Meralgia paresthetica is a syndrome of tingling discomfort (dysesthesias) in an area of nerve injury, most commonly the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. It is characterized by a patch of decreased sensation over the lateral thigh; this area is dysesthetic. Meralgia paresthetica may be due to more proximal nerve compression. A change …
What is phantom pain? Phantom pain is pain felt in a part of the body that has been surgically or otherwise removed. It is common for patients to have phantom sensation postoperatively; that is, after limb amputation, the patient feels as though the limb is still present. This sensation occurs in nearly all patients undergoing …
What is meant by referred pain? Pain in an area removed from the site of tissue injury is called referred pain . The most common examples are pain in the shoulder from myocardial infarction, pain in the back from pancreatic disease, and pain in the right shoulder from gallbladder disease. The presumed mechanism is that afferent fibers from …