Pain Overview
Pain is a general term that describes uncomfortable sensations in the body. Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli which stems from activation of the nervous system, pain is a signal in the nervous system that something may be wrong. In medical diagnosis, pain is regarded as a symptom of an underlying condition. The feeling of physical pain can vary greatly, it can be mild, sharp, severe or dull.
When you do something that hurts your body, your brain normally triggers the pain response. If you touch something hot, the pain you feel is your body’s way of telling you that you should stop touching the hot item and should take action to cool the skin. If you walk on an injured ankle and it hurts, that’s also your body telling you to stop.
Pain can range from annoying to debilitating, and it can feel like a sharp stabbing or a dull ache. Pain can also be described as throbbing, stinging, sore, and pinching. Pain can be consistent, can start and stop frequently, or can appear only under some conditions. People respond to pain differently, some people have a high tolerance for pain, while others have a low tolerance. For this reason, pain is highly subjective.
The perception of pain varies from person to person. One person might have a broken bone and not even realize it, while another might feel significant pain from that same injury. That’s because pain is mediated by nerve fibers in your body, and these nerve fibers have the job of sending pain signals to the brain (which happens very quickly). Once they find their way to the brain, the brain acts to make you aware of the pain. Because every person’s body is different, their nerve fibers and their brain can react differently to the same stimuli. That helps explain why pain perception and pain tolerance can differ so much from one person to another.
Pain can be acute or can occur over a longer period of time. It may be related to a specific injury or issue, or it may be chronic, with ongoing sensations lasting for months. Pain can be localized, affecting a specific area of the body, or it can be general, for example, the overall body aches associated with the flu. With many chronic conditions, the cause of the pain is unknown.
Pain is the most common reason for physician consultation in most countries of the world. It is a major symptom in many medical conditions, and can interfere with a person’s quality of life and general functioning.
Although pain is an inconvenient and uncomfortable condition, pain can be a good thing, it let’s us know when something is wrong and gives us hints about causes. Some pain is easy to diagnose and can be managed at home, but some types of pain signal serious conditions. Pain motivates the individual to withdraw from damaging situations, to protect a damaged body part while it heals, and to avoid similar experiences in the future.
Causes of Pain
Pain is an uncomfortable sensation that usually signals an injury or illness. Pain is the body’s way of telling you something isn’t right, this is the purpose of pain. It is meant to make you uncomfortable so if you are injured or sick, you will know you need to do something or stop doing something. Pain can be caused by many different factors anything from a bad mattress to stomach ulcers can cause chronic pain. While it may begin with an injury or illness, pain can develop a psychological dimension once the physical problem heals.
Some common causes of pain include:
- Headache
- Cramps
- Muscle strain or overuse
- Cuts
- Arthritis
- Bone fractures
- Stomach ache
Many illnesses or disorders, such as flu, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and reproductive issues, can cause pain. Some people experience other symptoms with pain. These can include nausea, dizziness, fatigue, loss of appetite, irritability, depression, and anger.
Types of Pain
There are five common types of pain, but some pain can fit into more than one category. The five most common types of pain are:
- Acute pain
- Chronic pain
- Neuropathic pain
- Nociceptive pain
- Radicular pain
Acute Pain
Acute pain means the pain is short in duration, lasting from minutes to about three months (sometimes up to six months). Acute pain also tends to be related to a soft-tissue injury or a temporary illness, so it typically subsides after the injury heals or the illness subsides. Acute pain from an injury may evolve into chronic pain if the injury doesn’t heal correctly or if the pain signals malfunction.
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is longer in duration. It can be constant or intermittent. For example, headaches can be considered chronic pain when they continue over many months or years, even if the pain isn’t always present. Chronic pain is often due to a health condition, like arthritis, fibromyalgia, or a spine condition.
Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathic pain is due to damage to the nerves or other parts of the nervous system. It is often described as shooting, stabbing, or burning pain, or it feels like pins and needles. It can also affect sensitivity to touch and can make someone have difficulty feeling hot or cold sensations. Neuropathic pain is a common type of chronic pain. It may be intermittent, meaning it comes and goes, and it can be so severe that it makes performing everyday tasks difficult. Because the pain can interfere with normal movement, it can also lead to mobility issues.
Nociceptive Pain
Nociceptive pain is a type of pain caused by damage to body tissue. People often describe it as being a sharp, achy, or throbbing pain. It’s often caused by an external injury. For example, if you hit your elbow, stub your toe, twist your ankle, or fall and scrape up your knee, you may feel nociceptive pain. This type of pain is often experienced in the joints, muscles, skin, tendons, and bones. It can be both acute and chronic.
Radicular Pain
Radicular pain is a very specific type of pain can occur when the spinal nerve gets compressed or inflamed. It radiates from the back and hip into the leg(s) by way of the spine and spinal nerve root. People who have radicular pain may experience tingling, numbness, and muscle weakness. Pain that radiates from the back and into the leg is called radiculopathy. It’s commonly known as sciatica because the pain is due to the sciatic nerve being affected. This type of pain is often steady, and people can feel it deep in the leg. Walking, sitting, and some other activities can make sciatica worse. It is one of the most common forms of radicular pain.
Treatment of Pain
Acute pain usually goes away on its own once the cause for the pain has been treated. For accidents or a specific injury, this could be once the injury or tissues heal. The injury might heal naturally with time or after medication, surgery, or other medical attention is provided. Treatment for acute pain depends on the issue or injury causing the pain, if it’s known.
Chronic pain can be more difficult to deal with, especially if the cause of the pain is unknown. Sometimes chronic pain is the result of an initial injury, but this is not always the only reason. The easiest way to ease pain is to deal with the underlying issue causing the pain.
Treatment for pain management may include:
- Over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin, Tylenol and Ibuprofen
- Prescription pain medication
- Physical therapy
- Surgery
- Acupuncture
- Massage
- Yoga or gentle stretching with deep breathing
- Heating pads or heat baths
- Cold packs or ice baths
- Progressive muscle relaxation
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