Pain is a sensation we all experience from time to time. Some of us are overcome by emotional pain and trauma, while others suffer from physical pain and discomfort. Every human body has a unique and distinctive threshold for pain. A common condition, people experience pain for a variety of reasons.
Research reveals that women experience more pain than men as they go through childbirth and menstruation. People typically experience pain after accidents, injuries and as their bodies continue to age and weaken.
There are two major categories to divide pain:
- Acute Pain: The body’s normal response to injury or scars. Acute pain is sudden and temporary.
- Chronic Pain: A lasting pain, chronic pain continues to give discomfort long after healing. Chronic pain is diagnosed when the discomfort lasts for over three months. It is a common symptom of various chronic illnesses, such as arthritis.
Let’s take a closer look at patient care, treatments, and pain management techniques.
Treating Chronic & Acute Pain
The intensities and scale of pain vary, depending on the underlying condition or disease. Sometimes, the pain persists like a faithful companion that maintains a dull, aching sensation in the body. For some, pain occurs with sharp, knife-like stabs through muscles and joints. It can range from light and mild to extremely severe. Some patients experience pain in one part of their body, while others complain of full-body aches.
Naturally, the treatment varies, depending on the underlying disease, intensity, and pain handling thresholds of the patient. Pain can also be relieved by using ice & heat packs. To view the limitless products of pain relieving products you can visit bodyice.com. Keep reading to learn more about pain management treatments and care. Research reveals that physical and emotional well-being have a profound impact on the experience and intensity of pain. Experts are increasingly exploring holistic and natural pain-alleviation methods that deploy sophisticated technologies to eliminate adverse side effects associated with medications. In recent years, PEMF mat and far-infrared tools have dramatically risen in popularity for their pain-reducing benefits. These tools combine nature and technology to deliver targeted heat therapy that alleviates and eliminates pain over time.
How Does Body Experience Pain?
Pain is an intense and complicated protective mechanism triggered by the body to identify danger and harm. Surprisingly, it shields the human body from risks and perils. Then, why does it hurt so much?
Two major nerves feature pain receptors to identify harm and caution the body. One nerve slowly relays messages to the brain, creating a dull and slow, throbbing sensation of pain. The other nerve quickly relays messages, creating a sharp and sudden feeling. Interestingly, the body has many other pain receptors to identify damage.
The skin features multiple pain receptors, making it easy to identify the pain’s exact location and severity. Have you ever wondered why it’s so hard to pin down the precise area of a stomach ache? The gut contains very few pain receptors, making it hard to identify the exact location.
Once the brain interprets the pain signals, it alerts the body to get out of harm’s way. When pain occurs because of chronic illnesses or injuries, it signals to the brain that bodily harm has occurred. Hence, most treatments involve pain-relieving medications alongside wellness treatments that enhance life quality and overall wellbeing.
Coping with Pain
Sadly, many sufferers have to live with their pain and discover effective coping mechanisms to enhance their pain management responses. Modern-day treatments focus on the physical health and emotional wellbeing of patients to improve it. The first step is to understand the underlying cause of the pain.
Some common causes of pain include:
- Injuries and accidents
- Medical conditions, such as back problems, cancer, or arthritis
- Treatment or medication side-effects
- Surgery
Patients suffering from arthritic pain are encouraged to embrace healthy lifestyle changes and establish pain management routines. As explained above, each case is distinctive and requires tailored treatment. For instance, a cancer patient suffering from radiation-induced pain requires a different treatment than a patient with an injured spleen.
Doctors work with multiple healthcare professionals to devise a tailored treatment to alleviate and manage pain for each patient.
Pain Management Strategies
There are various pain management strategies that doctors pursue, depending on the right course of treatment for their patients.
Some commonly practiced strategies include:
- Heat or cold therapy
- Hydrotherapy
- Physical exercise
- Massages
- Acupuncture
- Mind and Body Training
- Pain-relieving medications
- Occupational therapy
In most cases, doctors design a combination of treatment courses, which typically involve medications and holistic therapy. Sufferers are encouraged to get regular exercise, undergo acupuncture, take massages regularly, and maintain an active lifestyle. Chronic pain sufferers are actively encouraged to join community support groups to feel inspired by other sufferers’ stories.
Conclusion
Pain management strategies and coping mechanisms are different for each patient. There are no hard and fast solutions when it comes to alleviating chronic pain. Many people find it easier to fall into the trap of morphine-rich drugs and mind-numbing medications. But inactivity and a lack of exercise always make the suffering and discomfort unbearably worse. Effective pain management treatment always involves exercise to target specific muscle groups. Patients are advised to undergo regular massages and avoid foods that cause inflammation.
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