Gate Control Theory
Gate Control Theory | Date of last revision July 26, 2011 |
Introductionwww.currentnursing.com * Gate control theory was described by Melzack and Wall in 1965. * This theory explains about a pain-modulating system in which a neural gate present in the spinal cord can open and close thereby modulating the perception of pain. * The gate control theory suggested that psychological factors play a role in the perception of pain.
Terms
* Pain - an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. * Analgesia - the selective suppression of pain without effects on consciousness or other sensations. * Nociceptors - sensory receptor whose stimulation causes pain * Pain threshold: the point at which a stimulus is perceived as painful. * Phantom limb pain – feelings of pain in a limb that is no longer there and has no functioning nerves. * Sensation – the process of receiving, converting, and transmitting information from the external and internal world to the brain.
Major Concepts www.currentnursing.com * The three systems located in the spinal cord act to influence perception of pain, viz; * the substantia gelatinosa in the dorsal horn, * the dorsal column fibers, and * the central transmission cells. * The noxious impulses are influenced by a “gating mechanism.” * Stimulation of the large-diameter fibers inhibits the transmission of pain, thus “closing the gate.” Whereas, when smaller fibers are stimulated, the gate is opened. * When the gate is closed signals from small diameter pain fibres do not excite the dorsal horn transmission neurons. * When the gate is open pain signals excite dorsal horn transmission cells. * The gating mechanism is influenced by nerve impulses that descend from the brain. * Factors which influence opening and closing the gate are: * The amount of activity in the pain fibers. * The amount of
Introductionwww.currentnursing.com * Gate control theory was described by Melzack and Wall in 1965. * This theory explains about a pain-modulating system in which a neural gate present in the spinal cord can open and close thereby modulating the perception of pain. * The gate control theory suggested that psychological factors play a role in the perception of pain.
Terms
* Pain - an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. * Analgesia - the selective suppression of pain without effects on consciousness or other sensations. * Nociceptors - sensory receptor whose stimulation causes pain * Pain threshold: the point at which a stimulus is perceived as painful. * Phantom limb pain – feelings of pain in a limb that is no longer there and has no functioning nerves. * Sensation – the process of receiving, converting, and transmitting information from the external and internal world to the brain.
Major Concepts www.currentnursing.com * The three systems located in the spinal cord act to influence perception of pain, viz; * the substantia gelatinosa in the dorsal horn, * the dorsal column fibers, and * the central transmission cells. * The noxious impulses are influenced by a “gating mechanism.” * Stimulation of the large-diameter fibers inhibits the transmission of pain, thus “closing the gate.” Whereas, when smaller fibers are stimulated, the gate is opened. * When the gate is closed signals from small diameter pain fibres do not excite the dorsal horn transmission neurons. * When the gate is open pain signals excite dorsal horn transmission cells. * The gating mechanism is influenced by nerve impulses that descend from the brain. * Factors which influence opening and closing the gate are: * The amount of activity in the pain fibers. * The amount of
References: www.currentnursing.com 1. Dickenson AH, (2002). Gate Control Theory of pain stands the test of time. Br. J. Anaesth., 88 (6):755-757. 2. Smeltzer SC, & Bare BG. [Edrs] (2004) . Brunner and Suddarth 's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing. 10th edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 3. Melzack, R. (1996). Gate control theory: On the evolution of pain concepts. Pain Forum, 5(1), 128–138. 4. Melzack R, & Wall PD. ( 1965). Pain mechanisms: a new theory. Science, 150: 971–9 (Free access)