Pain is one of the very common health conditions. Older individuals typically experience it more frequently, while women seem to suffer more than men from it.
Pain Types
There are two primary categories of discomfort, Acute and Chronic.
- Acute pain is often experienced as the result of injury or illness, typically starting abruptly and lasting only briefly.
- Chronic pain refers to pain that persists beyond its usual healing time frame; usually three months.
Pain may range from mild to severe and be localised or widespread in nature.
Pain Relief Strategies
Studies show that one’s mental health can influence their experience with pain. You can improve your life by understanding its cause and finding effective strategies to manage it. Here are a few key pain management strategies:
- Physical therapies (such as massage, hydrotherapy, heat/cold packs and exercise) may also provide relief.
- Psychological therapies (including relaxation techniques, meditation and cognitive behavioural therapy ) offer relief.
- Mind and Body Techniques (such as Acupuncture)
- Community support groups pertaining to pain are extremely useful when adults experience discomfort.
Causes
There are three major causes of pain.
- Injuries
- Health issues like Cancer, Arthritis and Back Pain
- Major surgeries
Pain Effects On Your Body
Painful conditions affect our bodies in various ways. For some patients, surgery may provide relief; for others however, pain remains. Pain serves an intricate protective purpose. Painful stimuli alert the body against danger.
Two main nerve types exist that detect danger and connect to pain receptors throughout the body. One nerve type relays information quickly, producing sharp pain waves; while the other type transmits messages more slowly for dull throbbing pain.
Pain receptors vary between areas. Skin contains numerous receptors that make pinpointing pain easy; in the stomach however, there are fewer receptors making pinpointing stomachaches more challenging.
When something hot or sharp stimulates pain receptors on your skin, nerves transmit an alert signal to a part of the brain known as the thalamus.
The spinal cord can transmit signals that stimulate muscle contraction immediately. As a result, an affected part of your body may be moved away from any potential threats or harm.
Reflex action to protect you against further injury is often taken without you even realising what has occurred, long before any pain has even arisen.
The thalamus organises the information sent by nerves, taking into account past experience, beliefs and expectations, culture and social norms – this explains why people respond differently to pain.
Information gathered here is then related to other areas of your brain which control physical responses, thoughts and emotions. When something hurts, or bothers you emotionally, the brain responds by sending signals directly to areas responsible. So when something causes discomfort for example “That hurt!” You might then feel pain or get annoyed and wonder “What was that about?’ Or perhaps feel confused and ask ‘Why does that keep happening to me? ‘
The thalamus is also essential in mood and arousal regulation, which explains why your perception of pain depends partly on your mental state.
Natural Pain Relief Remedies
There are various non-medical solutions to managing pain. Integrating treatments and therapies may be more effective than trying to use just one therapy alone. Here are some of the natural pain relief remedies;
- Heat and cold: Use an ice pack immediately following an injury to reduce swelling. Heat packs may provide better results for chronic muscle or joint discomfort.
- Exercise: Exercise such as stretching, aerobics or strengthening exercises may help alleviate pain and enhance your mood. To avoid overdoing it, however, be sure to increase the intensity slowly over time.
- Massage: Massage therapy is another form of physical therapy, usually best utilized for soft tissue injuries while joint-related ailments should be avoided. Massage can provide short-term pain management benefits; however, long-term use is not advised.
- Stress relieving techniques: Meditation and yoga are effective techniques for managing stress.
- CBT: Psychological treatments such as cognitive behavior therapy can teach you how to alter your thinking, feelings and behaviors about pain – an approach which may prove effective for managing chronic discomfort on one’s own.
- Acupuncture: It is part of traditional Chinese medicine and involves inserting thin needles at specific points on your skin in order to restore balance in your body and promote healing by releasing endorphins (natural painkilling substances). Some people report that acupuncture helps them manage their pain while keeping functional levels up; however, studies into its efficacy as an approach are inconclusive.
- TENS Therapy: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) Therapy – Electrodes pass low voltage electric current through the skin and cause pain relief to take effect, though TENS’ use to treat chronic pain has yet to be proven in sufficient published research studies. For people suffering with chronic discomfort who aren’t responding well to other therapies, TENS could offer relief.
Your doctor or healthcare professional can offer you the appropriate treatment according to your condition.
Pain Medicine
Most people will use analgesics at some point in their life for relief of discomfort. These are the some renowned pain medications:
- Paracetamol is frequently recommended as the initial medication to alleviate discomfort.
- Aspirin can be used to relieve mild-to-moderate pain and fever (such as headaches or period pain).
- Ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) provide relief from inflammation and discomfort.
- Opioids such as codeine, morphine and oxycodone are prescribed for cancer pain or severe cases of pain in order to relieve it quickly and effectively.
- Local anesthetics may be administered directly to nerves that can be easily reached.
- Antidepressants, anti-epilepsy medication and other medicines may be used to address nerve pain.
How do they work?
Each pain medication works differently.
- Aspirin, NSAIDs, and other painkillers reduce inflammation and fever by blocking certain chemicals known as prostaglandins that can cause pain, inflammation, and swelling.
- Prostaglandins provide protection from acid, but can also lead to irritation or bleeding in some individuals.
- Opioids work differently. These medications alter how your brain interprets pain signals and can become addictive over time.
How To Select The Best One For Yourself?
Choosing the right medicine will depend upon several factors. These include;
- Location, intensity and duration.
- Any activity which exacerbates or reduces pain.
- Pain has an enormously detrimental impact on lifestyle factors like appetite and sleep quality, as it interferes with these essential activities of daily living.
- Your other medical conditions
- Take only medicines prescribed to you.
Speak to your physician about the safest and most effective pain relief solutions.
Medicine Management
Effective medication administration begins with managing your medicines effectively.Follow these instructions carefully to take your medication safely and effectively. This way you’ll be able to:
- Your discomfort will be better managed.
- Your chances of needing larger doses of medication will be lower than other people.
Take medications for chronic pain as prescribed. Speak to your pharmacist or doctor if any adverse reactions arise or your medicine fails to work effectively; longer term pain medication users are particularly susceptible to side effects.
- To effectively address pain, it’s crucial to utilise multiple strategies. Don’t rely solely on medication; other ways could reduce how much discomfort you experience such as:
- Staying Active: Pacing daily activities to avoid flare-ups of pain (i.e. finding the balance between overdosing and underdosing).
- Avoiding painful triggers by employing coping strategies and medications can have side effects that may not be suitable.
Potential Concerns
These are the potential side effects of different type of Pain medications.
- Paracetamol may be rare when taken at recommended dosage and duration; however, prolonged usage could potentially result in skin rashes or liver damage.
- Aspirin can cause nausea, vomiting, indigestion and stomach ulcers as its most frequently reported adverse reactions; more serious adverse reactions include asthma attacks or even tinnitus/ringing in their ears.
- Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) may lead to headaches, nausea, stomach upsets, heartburns, skin rashes, fatigue, dizziness and ringing ears; in addition, they raise blood pressure; potentially worsen heart failure and kidney failure while increasing the risk of heart attack, angina and stroke if taken for extended periods. When considering taking NSAIDs use them with extreme caution and for only short duration.
- Opioids such as morphine and oxycodone can lead to confusion, drowsiness, falls, nausea, vomiting, constipation, physical coordination issues and instability as well as dependence which could potentially result in accidental overdoses.
Consumer Medicine Information Leaflets contain a comprehensive list of potential side effects when taking any painkiller. Always speak with your physician prior to taking painkillers in order to ensure they’re suitable for you and safe.
Necessary Precautions
As with all medicines, over-the-counter pain medications must be used with care and should always be discussed with your pharmacist or doctor prior to use. Here are a few general recommendations:
- Self-medicating for pain during pregnancy should be avoided as certain drugs may cross into the placenta and harm an unborn fetus.
- Be wary if you are elderly, or providing care to an older individual. The risks of side-effects are increased among elders; regularly taking Aspirin for chronic pain such as arthritis may cause bleeding stomach ulcers to form.
- Before purchasing any over-the-counter pain medications, consult a pharmacist. They can assist in selecting an option that’s safe for you.
- Be wary when taking multiple OTC medicines without first consulting with your physician or pharmacist, as overdosing can happen more easily than expected. Many “cold and flu” remedies contain paracetamol; therefore it’s wise not to take multiple paracetamol-containing remedies at the same time.
- Rather, seek medical assistance immediately if a sports injury arises.
- Never use pain medications as a crutch to “tough out the discomfort”.
- If you are living with an ongoing condition such as diabetes or heart disease, please seek medical advice prior to taking any over the counter medicines.
Difficult To Ease Pain
Pain can often be hard to manage. Being in discomfort can leave us feeling helpless, anxious or scared – here are some strategies for handling persistent discomfort.
- Focus less on finding an absolute solution and more on improving daily functioning.
- Accept that there may be flare-ups and pain that does not subside. You can talk yourself through this time.
- Gain as much knowledge about your discomfort as possible so that unnecessary anxiety or concern arise.
- Reach out for help from your family and friends, sharing what you require of them as well as finding ways to stay in contact.
- Engage with family, friends, and professionals in order to determine what works for you in terms of relieving or preventing depression.
- Do not increase the dosage of pain medication without first consulting with your physician or pharmacist.
- Increased dosage may prove harmful.
- Stay fit by eating well and getting enough rest.
- Do not let pain keep you from living the life you want – ease back into activities you once loved slowly. If experiencing pain is an issue for you, reduce some activities temporarily as needed – but increase them slowly again over time.
- Find enjoyable activities that won’t exacerbate your discomfort.
- Consult a mental healthcare provider such as a psychiatrist for advice about new coping skills and strategies.
