Pain –The Fifth Vital Sign

Abstract

Pain is the very common symptom and all of us must have experienced pain some time or the other. It is considered as fifth vital sign and it serves as a mechanism to warn us about the potential for physical harm. When the pain threshold lowers, the person experiences more pain with less stimuli. Pain is classified according to the duration, intensity and site. The physiologic processes related to pain perception is described as nociception. There are four processes involved in nociception: transduction, transmission, perception and modulation. Accurate pain assessment is necessary for effective pain management. Now pain assessment is done as fifth vital sign in many health care setting. Physiologic responses include increased blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration rate, pupil dilation, paler and diaphoresis. Usually non pharmacological interventions are used along with analgesics. The common methods used are application of hot and cold, massaging, music therapy, relaxation therapy and imagery. Medications that relieve pain are called analgesic. There are three main classes of analgesic: opioids, non opioids and adjuvants.