Table of contents:
- Actually, what is pain?
- How is the process until we can feel pain?
- The more severe the pain, the worse the condition? Not necessarily
- How are we to deal with pain?
So many people suffer from pain in one or various parts of their body. The therapies and medications prescribed to relieve pain may be effective for some people, but not for others, and only result in frustration and confusion. This is why it is important to equip yourself with the knowledge of pain that currently exists.
Actually, what is pain?
Pain is so fundamental to the human condition that it often doesn't occur to us to consider its characteristics. The simplest explanation is that pain is when something hurts you. Something is bothering you, causing you to stop what you are doing, change your position, or avoid what you believe is the cause of the pain.
Most people associate pain with physical injury. While this is often the case, there are also more complex cases such as chronic pain and aches phantom where there is no apparent physical damage. In fact, pain is largely a neurological phenomenon.
The physical and mental discomfort from pain is stressful and discouraging. However, most people are so familiar with physiological explanations for their illness that they don't realize that pain can come from a vicious cycle at work, for example. Prolonged pain exacerbates stress, which in turn can trap the body even deeper into the pain pattern.
How is the process until we can feel pain?
The old theory of pain suggested that an injured area of the body sends pain signals to the brain. In other words, pain originates at the tissue level. However, we now know that this is not completely accurate. There are certain cells called nociceptors that detect harmful stimuli and pass this information on to the brain. However, afterwards, it is up to the brain to create the sensation of pain or not. The pain didn't really come from a local place.
This doesn't mean I'm saying that pain is made up of thoughts. Instead, think of the brain as a factory foreman using past experiences, machine inspections, worker reports, and other markers to organize operations.
Nociception is important in the production of pain, but so are other less obvious things. The unconscious factor is one source that the brain considers when it determines how much pain to create. In this process, the brain also sees past experiences, social context, beliefs, and various other variables.
The more severe the pain, the worse the condition? Not necessarily
One common thought is that physical condition, posture, and other structural problems of the body are the root cause of pain. It is inaccurate and even dangerous thinking to lead people to believe that, for example, their body proportions are "bad". These are thoughts that have a negative effect on yourself, and are of no use to dealing with your pain.
Obviously, nobody likes pain, but pain is necessary for survival. Pain is a powerful urge to avoid actions and behaviors that could harm you. Some people are born without sensitivity to pain, a condition called congenital analgesia. Even though you might think they are lucky, they are actually much more likely to be exposed to fatal injuries because they didn't even notice when they were injured.
The bottom line is that pain is an alarm system, the output of the brain that is meant to defend against perceived threats by encouraging you to avoid them. This perceived threat usually involves tissue damage — such as a bruise or fracture. In this case, coping with the physical problem will reduce the "threat" and so will the pain. However, while keeping your body healthy and active is not enough, it's time to face the source of your pain.
How are we to deal with pain?
If a certain position or movement causes discomfort, find a way to relieve it — reduce the movement or move more slowly — so that there is no more pain. Look for movements that are "friendlier" to your body. It teaches your nervous system that not everything is dangerous. As more positions become pain free, you will notice that your fear has diminished and that you build momentum to free yourself from the pain.
However, perhaps the most important thing is to reaffirm your worth and your goals. Pain is a nuisance, but don't let it win over you.
Just remember that: if it hurts, it means your brain cares about you.
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