What You Need to Know About Pain
Millions of Americans suffer from some kind of pain. Pain is a sensation in which a person experiences discomfort, distress or suffering. It is usually due to the irritation or stimulation of what are called pain sensors.
Pain can occur for a variety of reasons. It can strike you anytime, anywhere. But the problem with pain is its subjective nature. No two people feel pain in the exact same way – even with the exact same injury or problem!
So whether it’s an occasional muscle ache or a chronic problem, it is vital for you to effectively communicate what you are feeling. Being able to pinpoint location and describe pain can make a difference between continued suffering and finding a suitable, effective treatment.
When, Where, How and What?
Pain symptoms can range from a mild discomfort to an intolerable agony. But however mild or insignificant you may think, pain is a sign something is wrong and should never be ignored. And the more information you can provide to your healthcare practitioner, the more likely you will find some relief.
When – Did the pain start? Yesterday? A week ago? After a trauma or accident? (Describe the mechanisms of the injury/incident)
When – Do you experience the pain – always? Upon rising? During resting? After exercise or exertion?
When – Does the pain worsen – after a certain activity? With a certain position?
Where – Do you feel the pain? (Specifically pinpoint the area of pain, making sure to demonstrate entire area.) Is it local or spread out?
Where – Does it move or radiate? Do you have a pain in your neck but frequently it moves into your shoulder? Or pain in your low back frequently moving into your buttocks or down your leg?
How – Painful is it – mild, moderate or severe? Be as specific as possible, quantifying pain as objectively as possible. Use a “0 – 10” pain scale (“0” = no pain; “10” being the worst pain you’ve ever experienced).
How – Long does it last – a few minutes? Several hours? All day? All the time?
How – Long have you experienced this pain – a few days? Several months?
How – Often does it occur – once a day? Several times per week?
How – Does it feel? Use details to describe your pain. (Need help – keep reading for common pain descriptors.)
What – Relieves the pain – ice? Heat? Rest? Stretching? Over-the-counter pain medications? Prescription medications? (Be sure to identify the drug and it usage)
What – Aggravates the pain – a certain position? An activity?
What – Activities are limited by the pain? (Make a list prior to your visit to be sure you are as thorough as possible.)
What – Other symptoms, if any, occur with the pain? (Numbness, tingling, weakness, redness, nausea?)
Be sure to include your past medical history of any known complications, such as a recent fracture or nerve damage from an accident several years ago, or any other medical conditions that may effect your overall health, especially any that may change your perception of pain, such as diabetes, depression, fibromyalgia, etc.
Use Detail
All pain is not created equal! “My stomach hurts” could mean anything from a common gastrointestinal upset such as constipation to more serious problems such as food poisoning or cancer! Being able to effectively describe your pain can make all the difference!
Common descriptors include such things as:
Aching – general sudden or spasmodic pain
Acute/lacinating – short, sharp and cutting
Agonizing – intense and torturous
Boring – a deep sensation as if being produced by a drilling tool
Burning/searing -heat sensation as if being scorched
Constricting – a feeling of a binding or strangling
Cramping – a tightness or spasm
Cutting- pain slicing through a region
Darting – pain that shoots from place to place
Diffuse – pain that is spread out
Discomfort – a mild pain
Dull – a continuous yet mild throbbing
Excruciating – intolerable pain
Explosive – sudden, often violent pain episode
Gnawing – constant biting pain
Intractable – pain not easily relieved
Irritated – nagging soreness
Localized – pain in a specific location
Lightning – sudden, brief, repetitive pain, like a zap of lightning
Night – pain with relaxation of muscles, especially during sleep
Penetrating – pain into and through a region
Persistent – constant pain
Piercing – cutting or stabbing
Pinching – binding or compressing pain
Pins and needles – stinging or tingling pain
Pressure – a constraining or constricting pain
Radiating – pain that spreads from its origin
Remittent – pain that is temporary, coming and going
Severe – harsh, hard-to-bear pain
Sharp – cutting or piercing pain
Shooting – pain that propels out from origin
Sore – tender pain
Spasm – a convulsive muscle tightening
Stinging – piercing or pricking pain
Stabbing – a penetrating pain as if pierced with a pointed instrument
Stiff – rigid and firm
Tender – sensitivity to pressure
Throbbing – a pulsing, beating pain
Tingling – a prickling or stinging sensation
Twinge – a sudden keen pain
Unrelenting – pain resistant to diminishing or changing
Violent – sudden, forcible and intense pain
Wandering – pain that changes location
Why Descriptions Can Make A Difference
Take, for example, chest pain. A burning sensation in the chest may be a sign of heartburn, caused by an acid liquid raised up by the stomach. Severe chest pain with exercise may be due to heart disease. Yet a steady, severe pain with pressure, radiating into the left shoulder and arm may be a sign of angina pectoris or a decreased blood supply to the heart. Angina pectoris can also radiate into the back or jaw and can be accompanied by an elevated blood pressure, profuse sweating, difficulty breathing and an irregular heartbeat.
Chest pain with a deep breath may be a sign of pleurisy, an inflammation of the membranes of the lungs. If neck or shoulder stiffness accompanies pain, you may be suffering from arthritis, inflammation of the joints (usually accompanied by swelling and occasionally, joint changes) or fibrositis, an inflammation of fibrous connective tissue that covers all your organs and muscles.
If the pain occurs with bending especially after a meal, you may have a diaphragmatic or hiatus hernia. A diaphragmatic hernia is a protrusion of the abdominal contents through the diaphragm, a muscle/membrane wall that separates the abdomen from the thorax (trunk), located just under the ribs. A hiatus hernia, on the other hand, is when the stomach contents protrude above the diaphragm into the organs and tissues separating the lungs.
Another common site for pain is your abdomen. Non-specific pain in your stomach can mean a typical upset stomach to appendicitis; from broken ribs, pleurisy, ulcers and gallbladder disorders to herpes zoster or even carcinoma, or malignant (cancerous) tumor, especially in the later stages.
Pain is not a sign of weakness! We all experience some type of pain some time during our lives! And whereas some pains are common and will dissipate on their own, others may require medical intervention.
Should you run to the doctor with every little ache and pain? Not necessarily! Any acute, agonizing pain, pain that lasts more than a few days or pain that frequently interferes with your daily activities should be checked out! After all, wouldn’t it be nice to know that nagging ache you’ve had for months now is just a sore muscle rather than a serious condition? Sometimes just knowing makes the pain easier to handle, because stress perpetuates pain – and not knowing piles on stress! So when in doubt, check it out!
