Types of Pain - What is Pain?

Pain is the word we use to describe a strong physical discomfort. Something that hurts us causes us to experience pain. Pain can be the result of a bodily injury, internally or externally, or due to illness. As pain can be uncomfortable it has the potential to interfere with our lives and daily activities making it most undesirable.
People have differing levels of pain tolerance and pain can manifest itself in numerous ways. Pain can be described as dull and tolerable to stabbing and unbearable. People experience pain in the form of aches that can be present throughout the body like stomach, abdominal, muscle or bone aches, to name a few.
When people are in a state of pain they can also suffer other symptoms as a result of the intensity of the pain like nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness and/or excessive perspiration. Aside from physical side effects, pain can also cause severe changes in mood making people angry or easily irritated, depressed or apt to crying, or even suicidal. People who are suffering from pain may not be able to perform their daily work duties, personal care or may resign from recreational activities. Pain can also lessen a person's ability to move around within or outside of their homes.
For minor injuries or inflammations, ice or a heat pack may be applied to the area to lessen the pain. Medications have become known to be most effective in lessening or eliminating pain and its accompanying effects. Over-the-counter medications, those available without a doctor's prescription, can be used to treat pain. Popular pain relievers are acetaminophens (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil) and aspirin (Bayer). Medicines like ibuprofen and aspirin reduce the production of prostaglandins. A prostaglandin is the hormone-like substance in human bodies that causes pain. Acetaminophens work differently as they work on the parts of the brain that receives indications of pain. There are also topical pain relievers which come in the form of creams, lotions or sprays that can be applied to areas on the body where pain is manifesting.
It is most useful to determine if the pain someone is experiencing is acute pain or chronic pain. Nociceptors are special sense receptors in the skin and organs that, when activated, alert the body that something is wrong. These nociceptors trigger acute pain which is typically defined as pain that lasts less than three months or pain that is directly related to tissue damage. Chronic pain lasts more than three months, however it can be very difficult to determine the cause of this type of pain.
Those who suffer from chronic pain might have one or more numerous diseases or ailments that contribute to the constant pain. Migraines, herpes, cancer, arthritis, joint disorders and back or neck pain are some conditions that could cause chronic pain. Unfortunately, completely eliminating chronic pain is not always possible. Often the pain must be managed by use of medications, homeopathic treatments or even local electrical stimulation.
For pain that persists, whether acute or chronic, it is important to seek medical attention to determine what the best treatment method should be. Chronic pain sufferers may undergo numerous tests over long periods of time to help doctors determine the cause of their pain and to, possibly, identify alternative or more effective methods of treatment. Almost everyone can agree that they do not like pain, but people should have some appreciation for pain or they wouldn't know when something is not right within their bodies. Pain is the body's alarm system that alerts people so they can become more aware of their health and determine how to address their condition.