10 Pain Facts: Why It Hurts | Emotional & Stress Management slideshows | Emotional & Mental Health center

What Is Pain?

Pain is classified as the fifth vital sign. This is an extremely complex mechanism that can compromise the body’s interpretation and perception. It works as the body’s normal protective mechanism towards any impending threat to the wellbeing of the body. There are several factors that can cause pain. There are autonomic factors, which include stress response and reflexes. These increase both the level of muscular and skeletal activities. They can also cause muscular rigidity. Other factors that can trigger pain include psychological, physical, and voluntary aspects. These can be caused by internal or external stimuli. These factors can activate the body’s central and peripheral nervous system to interpret pain.

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Photo courtesy of Ben Warren by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/benwarren/4718248093/
www.webmd.com/pain-management/ss/slideshow-chronic-pain-myths-facts
http://www.livescience.com/7527-5-painful-facts.html
http://www.painmed.org/patientcenter/facts_on_pain.aspx

Why Do We Feel Pain?

There are two theories that can explain why people feel pain. These theories are based on the normal physiologic functions of the body involving the nervous system. The concept behind the Gate Control Pain theory discusses how a single stimulus can be transferred at a time. The onset of a painful stimulus can activate the pain gate. These stimuli can trigger the small and large nerve fibers in the spinal cord. The Specificity Pain Theory involves hormonal, chemical, or mechanical stimulation that can produce extracellular sodium. It causes molecular receptors to depolarize, which may send pain signals to the brain.

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Types Of Pain

There are two major types of pain that can affect the overall health of a person. They are chronic and acute pain. Acute pain is normally caused by a certain injury, disease, or any tissue damage. The intensity of acute pain can vary according to the extent of health problems. It can either have mild or severe degree of discomfort. It has a sudden onset that can last for as long as six months. Chronic pain has an abrupt onset that can last from months to years. The intensity of chronic pain may or may not be as severe as acute pain.

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Women Feel More Pain And Handle It Better Than Men

Women have a higher sensitivity to pain than men. This is because they have various physiological activities. These physiologic issues include menstruation, nine months of gestation, and giving birth. Women tend to handle pain better than men. This manifestation is related to the amount of pain felt by women as well as the higher degree of pain that they have bear, and the increased level of pain they can tolerate. Some medical conditions that have variable pain are more common to women than men. Menstrual pain can cause debilitating abdominal discomfort and it may increase the intensity of pain that radiates to other parts of the body.

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Chronic Pain Shrinks The Brain

A study from Northwestern University discussed that people suffering from chronic pain can have a higher chance of shrinking their brain. When a person is in pain, his body reacts with the stimulus that limits his hormonal and physiologic activities. As a result, several vital processes in the body such as oxygen and blood supply are limited. This can affect the needs of brain cells. If there is an insufficient supply to the brain cells, the gray matter begins to shrink. This can affect the person’s cognitive function. Researchers found out that individuals suffering from pain may lose 1.3 cubic centimeters each year.

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Weather Can Affect Pain

There are several medical conditions that are aggravated by weather. Joint pain is a musculoskeletal problem that has chronic pain as a common symptom. One of the most common joint pain illnesses is rheumatoid arthritis. This condition is characterized by pain at the joints. There are several factors that can cause arthritis and one of them is weather. Cold weather can affect the physiological functioning of a person. Medically, a person exposed to extreme cold temperatures may have vasoconstriction. This can affect the circulation of blood including vital nutrients to all parts of the body. A sudden change in weather may inhibit the production of hormones that help in enhancing tolerance.

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Sex Plays Vital Role In Relief From Migraine Pain

A person suffering from migraine pain exhibits an intense feeling of discomfort. Migraines have several triggering factors. These factors include sound, light, or any outside stimulus that can cause headache. Experts suggest that having sex can be very beneficial for people suffering from a migraine. This is because sex can stimulate the body to produce endorphins. This naturally-occurring hormone can block the pain receptors which results in a remarkable decrease in pain. Large amounts of endorphins in the bloodstream can reduce the feeling of pain. Endorphins can promote blood circulation to different organs of the body including brain. This phenomenon can support the physiologic and hormonal activities of the body.

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Some Animals Don’t Feel Pain Like We Do

French veterinarians state that there are some species of animals that do not feel pain. This occurs because of a lack of consciousness. Some species may have pain detection mechanisms. This activity serves as protective mechanism for animals. It’s an instinct that signals the animal about the pain. However, the issue of pain in animals has been subject to debate. Animal researchers are unsure about the animal response to pain due to a lack of language and communication. Like humans, animals may exhibit behavioral and social changes if they feel pain. This can affect their eating pattern, breathing pattern, and elimination of waste.

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Even Minor Pain Should Never Be Ignored

Pain is considered a vital sign. Anything that causes discomfort or disrupts the normal activities of a person must not be ignored. This signals a person that there is something wrong inside the body. Minor pain might be one of the first signs of a fatal condition. If someone feels pain, he should immediately consult his doctor. Use of over-the-counter drugs can provide quick relief from pain. However, it is still recommended to consult a physician. This sign can help doctors to diagnose the cause of pain and provide appropriate solutions to relieve it.

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Physical Activity Is Actually A Natural Pain Reliever

Physical activity is considered a natural treatment for pain. This is true especially to people suffering from arthritis. However, there are people who believe that performing regular activities while suffering from arthritic pain is not possible. This belief is a myth because diminishing physical activities may affect the pain threshold of a person. This can make them have a higher sensitivity to the pain and reduce the degree of pain tolerance. Physical therapists advise people suffering from arthritis to perform passive and active range of motion exercises. This can help the affected parts of the body to tolerate high intensity of pain.