About UsJobsDonate
Pain Management
Overview
Printer Friendly Version Email A Friend Add This Decrease Text Size Increase Text Size
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that lets you know that something may be wrong. It is one of the body's warning signals that indicates a problem that needs attention. Pain starts in receptor nerve cells located beneath the skin and in organs throughout the body. When there is an illness, injury, or other type of problem, these receptor cells send messages along nerve pathways to the spinal cord, which then carries the message to the brain. Pain medications work by reducing or blocking these messages before they reach the brain. Pain can be anything from a  mild headache to something excruciating such as the chest pain that accompanies a heart attack.
Pain is an unpleasant feeling that lets you know that something may be wrong.
What are the different types of pain?
Types of pain include the following:
  • Acute pain—may come from inflammation, tissue damage, injury, illness, or recent surgery and is of short duration, usually lasting less than a week or two. It usually ends after the underlying cause is treated or has been resolved.
  • Chronic pain—pain that persists for weeks, months, or even years.
  • Pain related to medical procedures—if you are undergoing a medical treatment that may have associated pain your physician will discuss pain treatment and management with you.
What is the "terrible triad?"
When pain becomes such a problem that it interferes with life's work and normal activities, a person may become the victim of a vicious circle. Pain may cause a person to become preoccupied with the pain, depressed, and irritable. Depression and irritability often leads to insomnia and weariness, leading to more irritability, depression, and pain. This state is called the "terrible triad" of suffering, sleeplessness, and sadness. The urge to stop the pain can make some people drug-dependent, and may drive others to have repeated surgeries, or resort to questionable treatments. The situation can often be as hard on the family as it is on the person suffering with the pain.




Your Name:
Your Email:
Recipient Email:
Your Comments:
Word Verification:
Word Verification