What is pain?

Pain is felt physically; your body senses pain and we know a great deal about the physical side of pain. However, pain is also felt emotionally. Pain is personal and the degree of pain is affected by your individual response to pain. It is also affected by your mood, as pain may increase when you are feeling down and decrease when you are feeling happy.  It can be difficult for doctors, friends and family to understand exactly what you are feeling with your pain.

There is a fundamental difference between acute pain and chronic pain.

Acute pain generally starts suddenly, and lasts a relatively short time. It is often an "emergency" pain signal. Acute pain generally disappears when the injury heals or the illness goes away (either of its own accord, or after successful treatment), as the body can no longer detect the source of the pain.

Chronic pain lasts for at least three months, is persistent, and may range from mild to severe. It is said to be chronic when it is present to at least some degree for long periods of time. It may remain constant, or it can come and go. It indicates a long-lasting health problem, which may or may not be serious and may or may not be treatable. The problem may go away with time, or the pain may be something that the person has to live with for the rest of their life. If this is so, the pain can grow from being one of many symptoms to become the main problem. Pain, whether or not it is severe, can be so distracting that it can cause us to constantly stop during our daily tasks, and it can cause considerable suffering. If uncontrolled, chronic long-lasting pain can affect relationships with loved ones and can lead to depression and lack of independence.

Fortunately, pain can usually be controlled. If you are in pain, it is important to see a doctor and find out how your pain can be managed. The management of pain tackles both its physical and its emotional components, involving not only medications, but also stress relief and relaxation techniques, physical therapy and exercise.

This is where Pain Management Solutions comes into its own via an individual Pain Management Programme developed for and with the Patient.