Question

The nurse is accepting care of an adult patient who has been experiencing severe and intractable pain. When reviewing the patients medication administration record, the nurse notes the presence of gabapentin (Neurontin). The nurse is justified in suspecting what phenomenon in the etiology of the patients pain?

1) Neuroplasticity
2) Misperception
3) Psychosomatic processes
4) Neuropathy

Answer 1

The presence of gabapentin (Neurontin) on a patient's medication administration record suggests the patient's severe pain may be neuropathic, caused by damaged neurons in the nervous system.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a nurse observes the prescription of gabapentin (Neurontin) for a patient experiencing severe and intractable pain, the nurse may suspect the pain is neuropathic. Neuropathic pain occurs due to damage to neurons of either the peripheral or central nervous system, causing exaggerated pain signals to the brain. This type of pain is distinct from inflammatory pain, which signals tissue damage, and is instead related to neuropathy. Gabapentin is commonly used to treat this kind of pain, as it affects the way that nerves send messages to the brain and can help alleviate pain symptoms.