Which term describes an increased response to painful stimuli?

Study for the NBCOT Hand Injuries and Intervention Test. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question offers hints and explanations. Get ready for success!

Multiple Choice

Which term describes an increased response to painful stimuli?

The key idea is distinguishing how pain is amplified. Hyperalgia specifically means an increased intensity of pain in response to stimuli that are already painful. So a normal painful input feels more painful than usual, which matches the description of an increased response to painful stimuli. Allodynia would involve pain from a stimulus that normally doesn’t provoke pain (like light touch), which isn’t what’s described here. Hyperpathia involves a delayed, exaggerated pain response with lingering aftersensations, not just a greater immediate pain from a painful stimulus. Cumulative Trauma Disorder is about repetitive injury patterns and resulting symptoms, not a change in how painful a stimulus is perceived. Therefore, the term that fits best is hyperalgia.

The key idea is distinguishing how pain is amplified. Hyperalgia specifically means an increased intensity of pain in response to stimuli that are already painful. So a normal painful input feels more painful than usual, which matches the description of an increased response to painful stimuli. Allodynia would involve pain from a stimulus that normally doesn’t provoke pain (like light touch), which isn’t what’s described here. Hyperpathia involves a delayed, exaggerated pain response with lingering aftersensations, not just a greater immediate pain from a painful stimulus. Cumulative Trauma Disorder is about repetitive injury patterns and resulting symptoms, not a change in how painful a stimulus is perceived. Therefore, the term that fits best is hyperalgia.

More practice questions