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Memory of dental pain
1University Department of Psychiatry, Floor 'O', Royal Haliamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF U.K.
Pain
|February 1, 1985
Summary
Patient memory of dental pain is reconstructed, not accurately recalled. Remembered pain aligns more with expectations than actual experience, especially for anxious patients, impacting future pain perception.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Pain Research
- Dental Anxiety
Background:
- Patient recall of acute pain experiences can be influenced by various factors over time.
- Understanding memory reconstruction is crucial for accurate pain assessment in clinical settings.
- Dental anxiety may significantly impact how patients remember and perceive pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the reconstructive nature of patients' memory for acute pain.
- To compare remembered pain with both expected and experienced pain after a dental appointment.
- To explore the role of dental anxiety in the accuracy of pain memory.
Main Methods:
- Patients reported expected and experienced pain immediately before and after a dental appointment.
- Pain memory was assessed 3 months post-appointment.
- Comparison of remembered pain with initial expectations and experienced pain, stratified by Dental Anxiety Scale scores.
Main Results:
- A stronger correlation was found between remembered pain and expected pain than between remembered and experienced pain.
- This effect was more pronounced in patients with high scores on the Dental Anxiety Scale.
- Suggests memory for pain is reconstructed, influenced by pre-appointment expectations.
Conclusions:
- The accuracy of retrospective pain reports in dental patients may be unreliable.
- Dental anxiety may persist due to inaccurate recall of pain discrepancies between appointments.
- Interventions targeting pain expectations and anxiety may improve long-term pain management.