title: Acute pain management in dermatology: mechanisms and pathways.
abstract: The number of dermatologic surgical procedures performed is increasing each year. The pain associated with these procedures is a major concern for patients and its treatment is part of the increasing emphasis on outcomes and quality of clinical care. Better understanding of pain signaling and how commonly used analgesics function can help improve our surgical pain management. This is part I of a 2-part review that will highlight the anatomy of acute pain signaling from the skin to the central nervous system and the factors that influence the plasticity of the pathway. Having this foundation of knowledge is needed to enhance the clinical treatment of pain. Part II will provide an updated review of available treatments, with an emphasis on their appropriate use for postsurgical pain management.
authors.affiliation: Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia.
authors.forename: Natalie M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Meeks
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Virginia.
authors.forename: Jonathan S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Glass
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia. Electronic address: CarrolBT@evms.edu.
authors.forename: Bryan T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Carroll
mesh_terms: D059787:Acute Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D003880:Dermatology / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D058748:Pain Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics
keywords: analgesic; anesthetic; chronic pain; hyperalgesia; pain; surgery; transduction