Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026

A Swine Burn Model for Investigating the Healing Process in Multiple Depth Burn Wounds
Published on: February 23, 2024
Burn injury pain: the continuing challenge.
Gretchen J Summer1, Kathleen A Puntillo, Christine Miaskowski
1Department of Physiological Nursing, School of Nursing, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA. gretchen.summer@ucsf.edu
Burn injury pain remains undertreated, necessitating better management strategies. Understanding pain mechanisms across recovery phases is crucial for effective relief and preventing chronic issues.
Area of Science:
- Pain Management
- Burn Injury
- Medical Research
Background:
- Burn injury pain is a significant unmet medical need, causing suffering and leading to chronic pain.
- Current pain management guidelines are insufficient, with moderate-to-severe pain often unrelieved.
- Pain intensity varies across burn recovery phases, complicating analgesic requirement estimation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of pain types associated with burn injuries.
- To describe how pain interferes with burn recovery phases.
- To summarize pharmacologic pain management strategies and suggest improvements.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on burn injury pain.
- Analysis of pain mechanisms and their impact on recovery.
- Synthesis of pharmacologic pain management approaches.
Main Results:
- Burn pain is complex, with varying intensity throughout recovery.
- Opioid effectiveness is difficult to manage due to fluctuating needs.
- Existing strategies often lead to under- or over-medication.
Conclusions:
- Burn pain is frequently undertreated, requiring distinct assessment and management for different pain types.
- Further research into pain mechanisms is essential for advancing burn care.
- Improved, mechanism-based pain management strategies are needed.
Related Concept Videos
Burn Injuries
The damage results in the death of skin cells, which can lead to a massive loss of fluid. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and renal and circulatory failure follow, which can be fatal. Burn patients are treated with intravenous fluids to offset...
Peripheral Artery Disease IV: Nursing Management
Healing II: Complications
Blood and Nerve Supply to the Bones
Nutrient Artery
The nutrient artery is the main blood vessel that enters the diaphysis via the nutrient foramen. While most long bones have only one nutrient foramen, large bones, such as the femur, may have two. This...
Analgesia and Pain Management
Peripheral Artery Disease V: Postoperative Nursing Management

