Pain overview: classification, conceptual framework, and assessment

The ability to evict noxious stimulus increases the likelihood of surviving. It is the result of interactions between specialized cells, the spinal cord, and the brain. Nociceptive pain is related to direct injury of the body. Other forms of pain may not be linked to visible injury. Being multidimensional in nature, classification attempts are unable to embark the plethora of elements that constitute pain. Pain theories can explain the nociceptive quality of it while failing to explain other qualities. Efforts culminated in the development of gate control theory, which spawned many advances in pain management. Assessment tools are useful to determine the intensity of pain and its impact on quality of life. Judicious use of these scales allows healthcare professionals to proper manage patients pain and are validated instruments widely used in research. This short review aims to expand awareness about the phenomenon of pain, its mechanisms, and its measurement.