Fundamentals of Nursing Q 252
Miggy, a 6-year-old boy, received a small paper cut on his finger, his mother let him wash it and apply a small amount of antibacterial ointment and bandage. Then she let him watch TV and eat an apple. This is an example of which type of pain intervention?
A. Pharmacologic therapy
B. Environmental alteration
C. Control and distraction
D. Cutaneous stimulation
Correct Answer: C. Control and distraction
The mother’s actions are an example of control and distraction. Involving the child in care and providing distraction took his mind off the pain. The brain can only focus its attention in so many areas at one time. Pain sensations compete for attention with all of the other things going on around. Just how much attention the brain gives each thing depends on a number of factors, including how long you have been hurting and the current mood.
Option A: Pharmacologic agents for pain analgesics — were not used. A wide range of drugs are used to manage pain resulting from inflammation in response to tissue damage, chemical agents/pathogens (nociceptive pain) or nerve damage (neuropathic pain).
Option B: The home environment was not changed. There has recently been heightened recognition that environmental factors can influence pain. Clinicians involved in delivering multidisciplinary pain programs often structure the social environment of their treatment settings to help promote adaptive responses to pain.
Option D: Cutaneous stimulation, such as massage, vibration, or pressure, was not used. Cutaneous stimulation involves stimulation of nerves via skin contact in an effort to reduce pain impulses to the brain, based on the “gate control” theory of pain. A device used to provide electrocutaneous nerve stimulation was studied for its effect on symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.