An extremely uncomfortable signal of possible damage to the body. Subclassified as visceral (non-skeletal), or somatic (skeletal muscle or bone), and sharp (carried by A-delta fibers), or dull (carried by C-fibers).
The feeling of severe discomfort which a person has when hurt.
Subjective unpleasant sensation resulting from stimulation of sensory nerve endings by injury, disease, or other harmful factors. Pain may be mild, severe, chronic, acute, burning, lancinating, sharp, or dull; it may be precisely located, diffuse, or referred. It is usually treated with analgesics.
A sensation of hurting or strong discomfort in a part of the body, due to injury, disease, or functional disorder. Pain can sometimes be psychological in origin, and it can be acute or chronic. Acute pain, such as that following surgery, trauma, or heart attack, is severe. In the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery, it is difficult to relieve this type of intense discomfort, even with medication. Acute pain can also be a signal to seek emergency medical attention, as with acute abdominal pain or chest pain.
The sensation of pain is perceived in the cerebral cortex and is always subjective, so that sometimes sensations that would usually be benign can be perceived as painful for example, allodynia (extreme tenderness of the skin) or dysaesthesia (unpleasant skin sensations resulting from partial damage to sensory nerve fibres, as in herpes zoster, or shingles).
As defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain, an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience arising from actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage. Pain includes not only the perception of an uncomfortable stimulus but also the response to that perception. About half of the persons who seek medical help do so because of the primary complaint of pain. Acute pain occurs with an injury or illness; is often accompanied by anxiety, diaphoresis, nausea, and vital sign changes such as tachycardia or hypertension; and should end after the noxious stimulus is removed or any organ damage heals. Chronic or persistent pain is discomfort that lasts beyond the normal healing period. Pain may arise in nearly any organ system and may have different characteristics in each. Musculoskeletal pain often is exacerbated by movement and may be accompanied by joint swelling or muscle spasm. Myofascial pain is marked by trigger-point tenderness. Visceral pain often is diffuse or vaguely localized, whereas pain from the lining of body cavities often is localized precisely, very intense, and exquisitely sensitive to palpation or movement. Neuropathic (nerve) pain usually stings or burns, or may be described as numbness, tingling, or shooting sensations. Colicky pain fluctuates in intensity from severe to mild, and usually occurs in waves. Referred pain results when an injury or disease occurs in one body part but is felt in another.
The unpleasant physical and emotional feelings that result from injury to the body.
The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage. Pain is a multi-dimensional experience, sensory and emotional, always unpleasant, and associated (but not necessarily causally) with injury. When pain appears in the absence of injury, it is still described by the sufferer as if produced by injury.
A specific, distressing feeling that varies from mild unease to severe agony. Pain acts as a warning system for the body, indicating potential harm or prompting an individual (or animal) to pull away from a damaging source. The pain can be acute, manifesting and vanishing rapidly, or chronic, lasting for days, weeks, or even more extended periods.
Pain arises from the activation of specific sensory nerve endings known as nociceptors in the skin. These pain receptors can also be found in other parts like blood vessels and tendons. While some nociceptors are activated only by intense stimuli, such as cuts, punctures, or extreme temperatures, others react to milder alerts like firm pressure or stretching. Signals generated from these nociceptors travel through nerves to the brain. Moreover, chemicals known as prostaglandins induce inflammation and swelling, intensifying the stimulation of the nerve endings.
Pain experienced at a location away from its actual source is termed referred pain.
Pain often brings with it feelings of distress, anxiety, and sometimes fear. Individuals have diverse pain thresholds, meaning the point at which they start to feel pain and feel the need to respond can differ greatly. The origin and context of the pain can influence how it’s perceived by the individual. For instance, the pain related to cancer might be perceived as more intense because of the associated fear of the disease, compared to a similar pain from chronic indigestion. Pain without a clear cause can amplify anxiety; however, once diagnosed and reassured, the intensity of the pain might be perceived as diminished. In certain situations, emotional factors can lead to pain even in the absence of a clear physical cause.
The perception of pain can be diminished or obstructed by intense emotion or heightened arousal. For instance, an injury incurred during a competitive game or in combat might be overlooked amidst the immediate intensity. Many believe that mentally preparing for pain, like in anticipation of childbirth or during pain experiments, can significantly mitigate the pain response.
An individual’s reaction to pain is significantly influenced by their past experiences. How one dealt with prior instances of pain can shape their approach to managing future pain. Accompanying factors like sleeplessness, anxiety, and depression, especially in cases of debilitating chronic illnesses, can reduce one’s pain threshold. Today, many hospitals have dedicated pain clinics that evaluate and treat individuals experiencing intense, hard-to-manage pain. These include patients with advanced cancer and conditions that are not well-defined, such as facial pain and different forms of neuralgia.
The treatment targets the root cause of the pain. Approaches might include pain-relief medications, electrical stimulation like TENS, surgical interventions, or alternative therapies such as acupuncture.