RN Exam Practice
Basic Care and ComfortQuestion 1099 of 2368

A client asks why therapeutic touch and repositioning can ease labor pain. Which explanation by the nurse is correct?

  1. They increase signals in the large nerve fibers, which block pain from the small fibers.
  2. They destroy the small nerve fibers that carry pain signals up to the brain.
  3. They keep the pain gate fully open so that signals are processed more quickly.
  4. They stop the uterus from sending any pain signals during contractions at all.
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Correct answer: They increase signals in the large nerve fibers, which block pain from the small fibers.

Large nerve fibers carry sensory signals that can inhibit pain signals from the small fibers at the spinal gate.

Source: Nursing Health Promotion (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2025), Labor & Delivery Care: Pathophysiology of Pain During Labor and Delivery. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Practice the topic "Basic Care and Comfort"

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026