Over the last decade, there have been many advances in the field of medicine, but unfortunately, there are still no “cures” for many types of pain. Despite this, we currently have different treatments available that can offer partial relief (and in some cases complete relief), and certain treatments that can only be offered to you by healthcare professionals who have specific expertise in treating chronic pain.

Pain is a complex individual experience that includes sensory, emotional, and social aspects. It is important to understand that the same pain will not be experienced in the same way by different people. This is because the messages that pain sends to our brain are interpreted differently by different people and because our individual experience in life shapes the way we experience and express our pain.

With this brief informative guide we aim to help you understand the nature of your pain, and we hope it can help you find the best way to relieve it.

Why am I in pain?

This is often one of the most frequently asked questions among people in pain, and it is not easy to answer. We know that pain is usually a warning from our body that something is not working properly.

Sometimes, our own alarm system fails and issues an unnecessary warning, because the pain alarm can be issued even when there is no illness or injury.

Pain can act as a friend or a foe. The most common cause of pain is when it acts as an alarm signal by detecting an injury to its tissues or a disease in our body. In general, the intensity of pain is conditioned by the level and severity of the disease. If the pain can be relieved by the usual analgesics, it will surely disappear in a matter of hours or days. If the pain is acute and abnormally severe, it is advisable to seek medical help as soon as possible. Some people suffer from recurrent pain, such as headaches or menstrual cramps, and those who usually suffer from them recognize them as “non-threatening”, although they are often very unpleasant. When the pain alarm goes off and you can’t identify the reason, think of the pain as doing its job, …. take it seriously.

Superficial injuries can become inflamed or infected, and this tends to prolong the pain while internal injuries, such as a sprained ankle, tend to last for days or weeks.

The usual treatments, such as painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs, are usually safe and effective against these pains but if taken long-term, these medications can produce significant side effects, such as gastrointestinal problems. Safer alternatives exist, and for this reason, you should consult your doctor.

The main problem is pain that should disappear but does not. There is no specific time after which acute pain becomes chronic; this depends on the individual form of each pain and person. As a general rule, if the pain has lasted much longer than expected when it started, it may become chronic pain.

Sometimes chronic pain is the result of a persistent change or disease in the tissues, such as arthritis, but sometimes it is the result of a disturbance or change in the alarm system itself. This can happen, for example, if there has been an injury to the nerves; it is like a telephone line with interference. Some cases are a consequence of nerve pain, such as diabetes or herpes. Surgery of the breast or chest area, or amputation of a limb, can leave you with pain similar to a persistent burning sensation or electric shocks.

The level of pain that people with the same disease or similar injuries may suffer can vary greatly. Some may suffer greatly, while others may not even feel the pain. A very painful situation, although quite common, is when a seemingly minor injury, such as a simple paper cut, leads to persistent pain, although there is no evidence as to why this happens. Some people seem more predisposed to pain, while others seem to be immune. These differences may reflect a person’s upbringing or culture. However, there is growing evidence that the response to pain has a lot to do with our genes, and we, of course, have no control over them according to Psychreg.