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Pain

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Psychology of Wounds and Wound Care in Clinical Practice

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Abstract

Pain is reported as being one of the most significant issues for the individual with a wound. Not only can it have a significant impact on quality of life, pain’s intimate relationship with stress means that excessive pain can lead to stress and delayed healing. It is therefore essential that the health care professional understand how pain is best conceptualised, assessed and managed: this is the focus of this chapter. Detailing the pain associated with wounds precedes a description of the Gate Control Theory of Pain. This model highlights the importance of psychosocial variables in the experience of pain and how these components can also be used in the effective management of pain. In order to effectively manage pain it is necessary to assess pain appropriately and this chapter outlines several methods which can be used in wound care. Finally, approaches to pain management are presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, Aust Capital Terr, Australia

    Dominic Upton

  2. Institute of Health and Society, University of Worcester, Worcester, UK

    Penney Upton

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  1. Dominic Upton
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© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Upton, D., Upton, P. (2015). Pain. In: Psychology of Wounds and Wound Care in Clinical Practice. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09653-7_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09653-7_2

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-09652-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-09653-7

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