“Pain” refers to any uncomfortable bodily sensation, and it is the body’s indicator that something is not right. It has myriad causes, including disease, injury, functional syndromes, and others. Stemming from activation of the nervous system, it varies from mild, transient, and simply annoying to severe and debilitating.
Pain is experienced in different ways. It can be dull or sharp, throbbing or burning, or stinging, stabbing, aching, pinching, or just “sore.” It can be intermittent or constant, acute or chronic, localized or widespread.
The experience of pain depends on its cause and the way an individual responds to pain. In and of itself, this is very subjective, and some people have a much higher tolerance to pain than others.
In some cases, pain is transient, easily diagnosed, and self-manageable at home – for example, a tension headache, a muscle strain, or a minor bruise. Other times, it can indicate a serious medical condition that requires medical or even surgical treatment approaches.
Pain Causes and Types
Some of the more common causes of pain include:
- Headache
- Earache
- Toothache
- Abdominal pain (stomach ache/cramp, menstrual pain)
- Sore throat
- Muscle strain or cramp
- Bruises, burns, cuts, and abrasions
- Bone fractures
Pain can also be directly caused by disease, illness, or other disorders, for example, arthritis, osteoporosis, migraine, viral illnesses, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, and cancer.
There are different types of pain:
Acute – develops and usually passes quickly and is often a consequence of a known illness, injury, or a medical procedure. Includes everything from muscle strains to burns, bone fractures, appendicitis, food poisoning, tension headache, dental work, injection site discomfort, and surgery.
Chronic – can come and go, and may last for weeks, months, or years. The cause is not always easy to identify. Includes chronic migraine, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and cancer-related pain.
Neuropathic – this is nerve pain, also called neuralgia. It frequently presents as a shooting, burning, prickling, or stabbing sensation. It is caused by nerve damage resulting from an injury or illness, such as a bone fracture, spinal disc herniation, diabetes, shingles, multiple sclerosis, and cancer.
Nociceptive – this type of pain is caused by tissue damage – injection pain, cuts, grazes, scrapes, burns, bruises, sprains, ligament or tendon tears, or fractures, as well as by the tissue damage and inflammation caused by diseases like osteoporosis or inflammatory bowel disease.
Functional – refers to what is often chronic pain with no obvious cause. It includes but is not limited to the pain caused by TMJ (jaw joint) disorders, cervicogenic neck pain and headaches, chronic cardiac chest pain, irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia.
Managing Pain
There are several ways to manage pain, and these depend to a large extent on its cause. These may include:
- Physiotherapy (physical therapy) can be very beneficial in relieving pain caused by some injuries, as well as by conditions like MS (multiple sclerosis) and arthritis.
- Over-the-counter pain relief (paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen).
- Prescription anti-inflammatory drugs, including corticosteroids.
- Prescription opioid medications, especially after surgery or an acute injury.
- Anti-seizure or antidepressant medicines may be helpful for functional or neuropathic pain.
- One non-pharmaceutical option that may help alleviate nerve pain is to take supplemental PEA tablets. PEA is Palmitoylethanolamide, a natural chemical made of fat and found in foods such as peanuts and egg yolks. With no side effects, it is a natural anti-inflammatory and analgesic shown to have benefits for treating nerve pain.
- Magnesium supplements are helpful in supporting muscle health and recovery and have been shown to assist people with chronic headaches and migraines.
- Other strategies that may help alleviate pain include acupuncture, acupressure and massage, biofeedback, cupping, meditation, ice packs, heat packs, warm baths, and getting enough gentle exercise and sleep.
Conclusion
Any pain that is severe, frequent, chronic, or unrelenting, or for which there is no easily identifiable cause, should be assessed by a doctor.
Identifying the underlying cause of pain is a key first step to managing and, ideally, eliminating it. Pain is never “normal” but rather a warning sign from your nervous system, alerting you to something amiss in your body. It could be as simple as a bump on your skin or a build-up of tension in your muscles, overuse in the gym, or sleeping in an awkward position. It can also be a sign and symptom of a serious illness, injury, or chronic health condition.
Pay attention to what your body is telling you, only ever use medicines and supplements as directed, and seek help if pain worsens or persists.
