Pain in New born and Nursing Management

Oznur Tosun*, Yagmur Sezer Efe

Abstract

It is determined that first nociceptors (pain sensing receptors) occur in the perioral region at 7 weeks of intrauterine life, spread in the rest of face, the palms of the hands and feet at 11 weeks, with arms and legs at 15 weeks, all cutaneous and mucosal surfaces at 20 weeks. Distribution of nociceptive nerve endings in the skin of neonates was determined to be similar in density to an adult . In addition, pain in neonates is transmitted by unmyelinated C fibers. These fibers transmit impulses slowly. It starts second or seconds later than a painful stimuli and continues for minutes to increase in size. Pain transmitted by this fiber is perceived as dispersed, continuous, dull and burning. Therefore, anatomical, physiological and biochemical structures enabling the perception of pain are present in neonates and are sufficient for the transmission of painful stimuli. In this direction, the necessity of making researches on neonatal pain experience has been raised.