Pain: Purpose of pain, Pain cycle, Why people react differently to pain ( Part 1 )
From: Helen Dynda (olddad66@runestone.net)
Mon Apr 24 14:28:20 2000
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF PAIN?
Pain is your body's alarm system. It tells you that something is wrong.
When part of your body is injured or hurt, nerves in that area release
chemical signals. Other nerves send these signals to your brain, where
they are recognized as pain. Pain often tells you that you need to do
something. For example, if you touch a hot stove, pain signals from
your brain make you pull your hand away. This type of pain helps
protect you. Long-lasting pain, such as arthritis pain, is different.
While it tells you that something is wrong, it often isn't as easy to
relieve. Managing this type of pain is important, because it can
disrupt your life.
THE PAIN CYCLE
Along with physical changes, such as movement limitations, the emotional
ups and downs of your condition can add to your pain. If you feel
depressed or stressed due to limited or lost abilities, your pain seems
worse. You can get caught in a cycle of pain, limited abilities, lost
abilities, stress, and depression that makes everything seem harder to
handle.
WHY DO PEOPLE REACT DIFFERENTLY TO PAIN?
People react differently to pain for several reasons:
1.) Physical reasons: The sensitivity of your own nervous system and the
severity of your condition determine how your body reacts to pain. These
factors determine whether your nerves will send or block pain signals.
2.) Emotional and social reasons: Other factors that affect how you
react to pain and how much pain you feel include your fears and
anxieties about pain, previous experiences with pain, energy level, and
the attitude about your condition. The way people around you react to
pain also may affect how you personally react to pain.
Whatever the reason, many people have discovered that by learning and
practicing pain management skills, it is possible to reduce pain.
******[ Continued in Part 2 ]******
The 15th century proverb which summarizes the purpose of medicine is:
* To cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always. *
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