DESCRIPTION of PAIN
Pain is a message sent by the body to the brain, signaling
that disease, injury, or strenuous activity has caused trouble in some area. Without pain, you would remain unaware of many
problems - from torn ligaments to appendicitis - until the disorders became serious. At low levels, pain can motivate you
to rest the injured area so that tissues can be repaired and additional damage can be prevented. When severe, pain can motivate
you to seek treatment as well.
Not all pain, though, appears to serve a useful function. While acute pain, the pain
described above, can alert us to a problem that needs immediate attention, in some cases pain lasts long after an injured
area has healed. In other instances, pain may be caused by recurring backache, migraines and other headaches, arthritis, and
other disorders. Referred to as chronic pain - which is defined as pain that occurs, continually or intermittently, for more
than six months - this pain may signal an ongoing problem that cannot be eliminated through treatment. In such a case, pain
management often becomes the treatment goal.
For some people, pain is cyclical - pain produces anxiety and this anxiety
intensifies the pain. Fear and anticipation of the physical problem can also heighten the pain, leading to feelings of depression
and helplessness. When experiencing such pain, it is natural to limit one's activities. This can lead to a "chronic
pain cycle", which can adversely affect one's confidence and self- esteem.
Being aware of the chronic pain
cycle as well as understanding its psychological effects can help you avoid being drawn to it:
1. The cycle generally
begins with prolonged periods of rest and inactivity, causing a loss in physical strength, endurance, and flexibility. As
a result, you may begin to lose confidence in your ability to do things, causing a lowering of personal goals.
2. Inability
to perform usual activities at home or work is likely to promote feelings of frustration, and you may begin perceiving yourself
as unproductive. This sense of lowered self-esteem may further lead to depression.
3. During times when the pain subsides
or is more tolerable than usual, you may overexert yourself in an effort to prove to yourself and others that you can still
do the things you did before the chronic pain began.
4. As a result of the overexertion, the pain often returns and
may be more severe than before. You may find yourself unable to finish tasks or accomplish goals. Discouraged and in pain,
you begin limiting your activities, and the cycle begins again.
One way to keep from getting caught up in the
chronic pain cycle is through pain management. Often, the reduction of physical pain can prevent the cycle from starting.
There are a variety of treatments that can help alleviate pain. Some do so on a purely physical level, perhaps by interrupting
the pain process or desensitizing nerve endings. Others approach pain control on a psychological level, by affecting the mind's
perception of the pain. In the treatment of pain, however, there often is no clear-cut separation of the physical and the
psychological. Just as a physical reduction of pain may decrease anxiety and improve outlook, so can the mind be used to relax
muscles and effect other physical changes that then reduce symptoms.
There are a variety of treatments that can
help alleviate pain. Some do so on a purely physical level, perhaps by interrupting the pain process or desensitizing nerve
endings. Others approach pain control on a psychological level, by affecting the mind's perception of the pain. In the
treatment of pain, however, there often is no clear-cut separation of the physical and the psychological. Just as a physical
reduction of pain may decrease anxiety and improve outlook, so can the mind be used to relax muscles and effect other physical
changes that then reduce symptoms.
Depending on the cause of your pain, the level of your pain, we choose an individualized
plan to treat all the issues.
If you are sincere about dealing with
your pain
Stop the Hurt --- Call Today
727-938-9966
