What is Pain ?

The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as an unpleasant sensory or emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage.

The sensation of pain is generated by nerves that send signals to the brain letting it know organs or tissues are damaged or irritated. The brain then sends signals to these organs or muscles to take appropriate action. In medical terms, pain is divided into two categories:

• Acute pain: This type of pain is temporary, and goes away quickly. It is beneficial because it lets your body know that something is damaged and protects it so that you can heal. It is similar to having a cut and avoiding touch in order to let it heal.

• Chronic pain: This is pain that is unpleasant and lasts for prolonged periods of time. It may occur after having acute pain onset. It is usually described as chronic if you have had pain in the exact location for over three to six months. This type of pain is not useful because it may persist for long periods of time without evidence of further injury. It does not act as a warning system but may lead to depression, despair, helplessness and loss of function.

Pain is something we all have experienced but let’s get some facts clear, pain is a very vast concept with multiple causes and complications.

Pain isn’t only related to muscle or tissue damage. Pain is also caused to protect and safeguard us. For example, say you are cooking and you touch a hot utensil or gas stove. Your nerves will immediately send a message to your brain of unbearable sensation and in response, your brain would signal back and you would feel a sting or slight burn, but such a quick reaction just saved you from injury or burn!

THE FOUR MAJOR TYPES OF PAIN:

1. Nociceptive Pain: Typically the result of tissue injury. Common types of nociceptive pain are arthritis pain, mechanical back pain, or post-surgical pain.

2. Inflammatory Pain: An abnormal inflammation caused by an inappropriate response by the body’s immune system. Conditions in this category include gout and rheumatoid arthritis.

3. Neuropathic Pain: Pain caused by nerve irritation. This includes conditions such as neuropathy, radicular pain, and trigeminal neuralgia.

4. Functional Pain: Pain without obvious origin, but can cause pain. Examples of such conditions are fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome.

How Pain and Pain Signals Work

To understand pain and pain signals, you need a quick briefing in the body's nervous system. There are two parts to the nervous system: the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. Through these two systems, nerves transmit messages to and from the brain.

• The central nervous system is made up of the spinal cord and brain. Coming off the spinal cord is the peripheral nervous system; these nerves travel to every other part of your body to help you feel and move—and experience pain

• The peripheral nervous system has two further subsystems: the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system

Since every pain is different, every experience of pain is different, undoubtedly treatment of each pain is different. The treatment of pain begins with an assessment and severity of pain and the extent of the injury. Assessments of pain may include different diagnoses such as neurologic and/or musculoskeletal exams.

The first step to fixing such pain is usually conservative, including heat, cold, ice and over–the–counter medications. If such a cure doesn’t help, the second step is physical therapy with pain management programs.

No matter chronic or acute, our new programs have you covered. You can also book your online video consultation on the app, to discuss any issues you might be facing and begin your journey towards recovery!